Aim of the Council
The
Science Advisory Council (SAC) is a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which
provides independent and scientific support, advice and challenge to Defra.
The
SAC’s remit is broad and focuses primarily on the strategic direction of the
Departments’ evidence. It delivers independent high-level, cross cutting,
strategic advice and challenge to help assure the evidence used in Defra policy
development and delivery and to this end, diversity of thought within the
members is encouraged.
·
identify sources of additional expert external advice to input to
Defra evidence.
The
SAC has its own website where
information about the Council’s activities, reports and meeting papers are
regularly published.
Objectives of the Council
The objectives of the SAC are to:
advise
and support Defra on developing and implementing an effective and efficient
strategy for obtaining and using evidence and scientific advice;
·
advise on and provide assurance on the process for evidence
gathering;
·
provide strategic oversight and assurance on how evidence is used
in policy, providing targeted support where necessary;
·
provide constructive challenge on Defra’s evidence, and
·
identify sources of additional expert external advice to input to
Defra evidence.
SAC’s relationship with Defra
The SAC’s agenda and operation is structured to integrate it
within the Department’s workings but retaining its capacity to provide critical
independent challenge. SAC is both reactive to Defra’s needs and raises issues
itself that it believes would be helpful for the Department to consider. Its
work plan is a balance of being forward looking and being reactive to issues as
they arrive.
Structure of SAC’s Business
To enable the SAC to take its role forward, at an appropriate
strategic level, it organises its business in four ways: quarterly meetings;
monthly teleconferences; subgroups on specific policy/evidence areas and a
Defra Official and SAC member pairing scheme. The SAC has three standing
subgroups: Social Science Expert Group, and Exotic and Emerging Animal
Diseases, and Biodiversity Expert Committee. It may also establish
time-limited subgroups, made up of SAC members and appropriate co-opted experts,
in relation to emergencies, or to carry out in-depth studies. Subgroups will
advise and challenge Defra’s evidence and analysis.
Role specification
We are looking for a Chair who has the right qualities to take
responsibility for the leadership and output of SAC. In doing so,
the Chair will work in partnership with the CSA and SAC members to ensure SAC
is able to provide high-level, strategic advice and constructive challenge on
Defra’s use of evidence on high profile policies (often at pace) and on cross
cutting and longer term challenges relating to the environment, food and rural
affairs. The Chair will also ensure SAC provides advice on how Defra should
look to further improve its use of evidence and external advice. In
addition to this the Chair will offer advice to the CSA in their oversight role
of other Defra scientific expert committees.
The Chair will perform these duties by leading discussions with
SAC members and Defra officials through a mixture of formal meetings and
smaller working groups. In doing so, the Chair will ensure all SAC
members are able to contribute to discussions and effective use of SACs time is
achieved through purposeful engagement, that will add value to policy-making at
Defra.
The Chair will be responsible for ensuring SAC operates in line
with the Government’s Principles for Scientific Advice and the Code of Practice
for Scientific Advisory Committees. The Chair will also participate in the
appraisal of members’ performance as well as act as the public face of SAC, for
example interactions with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser.
The successful candidate must abide by the Nolan principles of
public service and the Code of Conduct for Board members.