Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Will Quince
The Department draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department for International Trade draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise, including its Chief Scientific Adviser. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by George Freeman
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise. I meet with both the BEIS Chief Scientific Adviser and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser regularly. In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Between 1 December 2021 and 31 August 2022, the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser met with a) the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in a total of 4 meetings and with b) other Ministers in the Department for Work and Pensions in a total of 7 meetings. This included:
(i) Between 1 December 2021 – 28 February 2022 – a) 1 meeting, b) 3 meetings
(ii) Between 1 March to 31 May 2022 – a) 1 meeting, b) 2 meetings
(iii) Between 1 June to 31 August 2022 - a) 2 meetings, b) 2 meetings
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
HM Treasury is committed to ensuring that we access the very best scientific expertise. The Director General for the Enterprise and Growth Unit, who is responsible for public science funding, acts as HM Treasury’s Chief Scientific Adviser and meets with the Chancellor of the Exchequer regularly. The Chancellor of the Exchequer also meets with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser and the Chief Medical Officer when necessary.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal meetings are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings (a) he and (b) his predecessors had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer of 16 February 2022, Official Report, PQ 120718.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The Foreign Secretary was not in post during the time periods listed in the question. Between 1 December 2021 and 28 February 2022 the former Minister for Africa (Vicky Ford MP) met with the Chief Scientific Adviser once. During the period 1 March to 31 May 2022 former Minister for Asia (Amanda Milling MP) met with the Chief Scientific Adviser five times and former Minister for Africa (Vicky Ford MP) four times. During the period 1 June to 31 August 2022 former Minister for Development (Vicky Ford MP) met with the Chief Scientific Adviser on two occasions.
The meetings included virtual meetings, in-person briefings and group meetings.
The Chief Scientific Adviser provides all Ministers with regular written submissions and briefings on science and research activities.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Secretary of State for Defence and the Ministry of Defence Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) have had one meeting between 1 June to 31 August 2022. CSA has also had meetings with other Defence Ministers; twice between 1 March to 31 May and three times between 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Asked by: Greg Clark (Conservative - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many meetings (a) they and (b) other Ministers in their Department have had with the Department's Chief Scientific Adviser from (i) 1 December 2021 to 28 February 2022, (ii) 1 March to 31 May 2022 and (iii) 1 June to 31 August 2022.
Answered by Nick Gibb
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education had two meetings with the Department’s Chief Scientific Advisor between 1 December 2021 and 28 February 2022, one meeting between 1 March and 31 May 2022, and one meeting between 1 June and 31 August 2022. Baroness Barran also met with the Chief Scientific Advisor on 15 March 2022.
Following the Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser’s regular attendance at the Scientific Advisor Group for Emergencies (SAGE), advice was shared with the Secretary of State, ministers, and senior officials consistently via email. More generally, the Department draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise.