Source · Select Committees · Scottish Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Not Addressed
Paragraph: 83
Communication on a scientific level appears to have been regular and consistent between the four...
Conclusion
Communication on a scientific level appears to have been regular and consistent between the four nations. Transparency around SAGE has improved with the publication of its membership and minutes. However, it is unclear whether the advice given by SAGE and the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 Advisory Group to their respective Governments has been the same through-out the pandemic. This may be due to emphasis on different considerations in each area of the UK, including demographic considerations, such as age, and local R rate. It is difficult to assess these concerns due to issues around transparency.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government's response is irrelevant, detailing the launch of a UK Trade Hub in Edinburgh and progress on trade deals, without addressing the committee's observations about transparency of scientific advice during the pandemic.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
83
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government · verbatim extract
Not Addressed
(10) We call on the UK and Scottish Governments to provide details of the procedures and processes used by their advisory groups for providing scientific advice. A commitment to transparency around scientific advice would provide the public and Parliament with the means necessary to scrutinise decisions around the pandemic . (Paragraph 84 in the interim report) (11) In addition , we recommend that both the UK and Scottish Governments should consider increasing the number of ‘on the ground’ public health officials in key advisory roles to complement the expertise of academics . (Paragraph 85 in the interim report) SAGE actively releases information on gov.uk to meet the ongoing commitment to transparency and openness. This information includes: detailed minutes of all SAGE meetings; SAGE and Sub-Group participant lists; and an extensive range of SAGE endorsed content covering all aspects of COVID-19 and its management. Through SAGE, the UK Government is able to bring together world-leading scientific advice from across the UK. This includes working with: the CMO and deputy CMO for Scotland; the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Scottish Government; Professor Andrew Morris, chair of the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group; and academics and clinicians from leading Scottish Universities. In his evidence to the Committee Professor Andrew Morris said: “We have a principle of reciprocity with SAGE, so we see all their papers and they see our minutes…That notion of reciprocity…has worked very well. Our specific role is to work in partnership with SAGE, but then to provide advice to Scottish Ministers through the CMO on the specific aspects of the science in relation to the context of Scotland.” The DAs and the UK Government have the same access to all SAGE outputs, including SAGE endorsed papers. The DAs also share expert opinion with SAGE. Questions about the role of the Scottish Government’s COVID-19 Advisory Group are for Scottish Government Ministers. Brief minutes of the Group’s meetings and other associated papers are published by the Scottish Government. Public health advice is primarily a matter for the CMOs to provide to Ministers. The SAGE convened for COVID-19 has a strong representation from public health officials as published lists of attendees indicates.
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