Source · Select Committees · Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 100
We believe that a gap persists in the transparency of the advice that is given...
Recommendation
We believe that a gap persists in the transparency of the advice that is given to the Government, outside of the auspices of SAGE, particularly on the topic of non- medical impacts of the pandemic and related Government interventions. While this Committee is not advocating the establishment of an “economics SAGE”, we do note that SAGE’s remit covers the inclusion of numerous disciplines, including “scientific, technical, economic and legal” expertise. Further, it is entirely within the gift of SAGE to establish sub-groups to draw in other expertise as necessary. Whilst we have been assured that a Treasury official has been present at SAGE meetings, it has been stressed to us that SAGE does not issue economic advice and thus such advice must be received by Government through other avenues. The Government must, in response to this Report, set out how advice to central Government on the indirect effects (for instance impacts on mental health and social wellbeing, education and the economy) of covid-19, and the Government’s policy response to it, has been structured throughout the pandemic, and commit to the public disclosure of the individuals and institutions from which it has sought such advice and publication of relevant papers.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government response details its approach to test, trace, and isolate, including regional engagement teams and the functions of the JBC, as well as funding for local authorities. It does not, however, set out how advice on indirect effects of COVID-19 interventions has been structured or commit to disclosing related individuals, institutions, or papers.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
100
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
The Government considers the understanding and mitigation of negative indirect impacts to be imperative to the recovery from Covid-19 and this is part of the C O’s remit. The CO works in partnership with other Departments, local government, Arms- length bodies, SAGE and other stakeholders, to ensure that a wide range of evidence and insights on these issues are considered and that these impacts are mitigated against effectively through policy design and implementation. On 29 June 2020, the Prime Minister announced an updated list of Cabinet Committees.20 Principal structures for the Government’s decision-making include the Covid-19 Strategy and Covid-19 Operations Committees, which meet as required to take operational and policy decisions. As noted elsewhere in this response, advice to these Cabinet Committees may need to be kept confidential to ensure advisors can express their views frankly. Individual Departments represented at these Cabinet Committees, together with JBC and PHE, draw upon their own analysis and stakeholder groups in order to assess the direct and indirect effects of Covid-19 on their areas of responsibility. In regard to tiering decisions and the allocation of local areas into different tiers, the CO Covid-19 Taskforce has supported collective decision making, ensuring Ministers have the best set of analyses possible, including analysis of potential social, economic and equalities impacts. More generally, as part of decision-making, a range of Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 health, economic, and social and wellbeing metrics have been utilised to inform the design of measures that take account of indirect impacts, including: • Levels, rate and location of Covid-19 infections • Healthcare metrics, such as hospital admissions • Outbreaks in care homes • Mental health impacts, including survey data on wellbeing, such as self- reported levels of frustration, boredom, and loneliness • Rates of crime • School attendance (including eligible vulnerable children) 20 List of Cabinet Committees - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) • Mobility data • Distributional indicators • Self-reported survey data to help assess compliance • Excess deaths not attributed to Covid-19 (compared to previous averages) • Labour market indicators, including ONS labour market statistics and HMRC CJRS data • GDP and sectoral GVA • External estimates of economic impacts, such as OBR/IMF/BoE scenario estimates • Business survey data, including on business closures and financial performance • Consumer confidence and measures of consumer spending (such as financial transactions data).
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