Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their advisory committees, if they need to undertake a review for which they do not have the expertise, are permitted to commission organisations that specialise in that field.

There is nothing in the Code of Practice for Science Advisory Committees (CoPSAC[1]) that prevents a committee from commissioning additional advice from experts, and committees are encouraged to “seek a wide range of advice from the best sources, particularly when there is uncertainty”.

CoPSAC states “Where a SAC lacks the relevant expertise for a particular project or task (as opposed to the committee's on-going work), the committee can co-opt appropriate experts or establish sub-groups to include such people on an ad hoc, time-limited basis”.

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278498/11-1382-code-of-practice-scientific-advisory-committees.pdf

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/278498/11-1382-code-of-practice-scientific-advisory-committees.pdf