Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) skills and (b) experience the Government has identified as a priority for the role of Government Chief Scientific Adviser.

A competition to recruit a new Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) is currently underway. A breadth of skills and experience are essential for the role; not only should the postholder possess a first-class reputation in the scientific field, they should also have excellent policy and analytical skills at the strategic level, and the ability to assimilate, evaluate and interpret scientific findings. In addition, they will need to command the confidence and respect of ministers, senior officials and their peers in the scientific community. They will also need to be an excellent communicator who is able to communicate with a broad range of audiences.