Image: Number 10 [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0], via Flickr
While UK’s scientific advisers face accusations they are “failing” public by remaining “silent” on lockdown-easing
Prominent experts have condemned what they describe as a “failure of the political system” to separate scientific advice from political decision-making, as a rift deepens over plans to lift the remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England.
The accusation came in response to concerns that members of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies were “failing the public” by staying “silent” on the government’s lifting of restrictions despite rising Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Downing Street press conferences often feature scientific advisers and public health experts standing by ministers, and are perceived by some to be “junior” staff defending government decisions rather than independent advisers.
“There is a failure of the system for providing government with scientific advice,” said Gabriel Scally, president of epidemiology and public health section at the Royal Society of Medicine, during a meeting of the self-appointed Independent Sage group on 9 July.
“And there’s a failure of the political system to separate the provision of that advice from the political decision-making system and the communication of those decisions.”
Referring to the plan to lift all remaining restrictions in England on 19 July, which is likely to fuel more virus transmission, Scally said it presented “difficult issues for a doctor to support”, but added that, “not knowing precisely what evidence is being given to the government, it’s very difficult to say what the scientists are saying”.
He said that the civil service code was “quite clear about the role of civil servants” and that “their duty is not to get involved in matters of political controversy”.
“Their job is to help ministers implement their decisions by providing them with good advice and helping them with the implementation of those decisions,” explained Scally. “But it is not to defend government decisions—it is not to put themselves in a position where they are seen to be taking a controversial political position.”
He continued: “Putting civil servants up front in promoting and defending government decisions is…an abuse of civil servants and an abuse of our democratic system.”
Advice ‘should be in public domain’
The chair of iSage, David King, who was chief scientific adviser to the UK government between 2000 and 2007, agreed, claiming that the current system goes against the recommendations of a 2000 Phillips commission report into the lessons learnt from the BSE crisis, which said that scientific advisers should be independent from government.
Recalling his time as CSA to former prime minister Tony Blair, King said he had to explain to the leader that this meant that his advice would have to be put into the public domain if there was a public interest involved—even if that advice wasn’t followed by the government. In doing so, the CSA would gain not only the trust of the cabinet, but also that of the public, he claimed.
However, he said this way of working had not been in operation since about 2010.
“I’m afraid that is no longer in place,” he said of those principles. “The way the advice goes into the public domain is the prime minister or a minister of government standing flanked by people who are considered clearly to be junior to the person who is a minister.
“We’ve broken the Phillips commission report’s advice.”
King and Scally also criticised what they say is a lack of transparency on the latest scientific advice to the government; while Sage makes its papers and minutes public after a delay—it still does not reveal up-to-date advice it provides to ministers.
If scientific advice is not in the public domain, there is no way of knowing whether the government is following it, King said: “I’m afraid that’s the position we’re in now.”
Pandemic ‘not over yet’
Meanwhile, prime minister Boris Johnson urged caution ahead of the easing of restrictions, while praising the efforts of the country for the progress made so far.
“While the phenomenal vaccine rollout has offered every adult some protection against the virus, and the crucial link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths is weakened, the global pandemic is not over yet,” he said.
“Cases will rise as we unlock, so as we confirm our plans today, our message will be clear. Caution is absolutely vital, and we must all take responsibility so we don’t undo our progress, ensuring we continue to protect our NHS.”
Asked to comment on the criticisms, a government spokesperson said: “Throughout the pandemic, our approach has been guided by data and the advice of scientific and medical experts.
“As new evidence has emerged, we have acted quickly and decisively to protect lives and livelihoods. All the independent advice informing the government’s response is publicly available.”