badgers, bees and ash trees: how science informs policy decisions in government or: working for a...
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Badgers, Bees and Ash trees: how science informs policy decisions in governmentor: Working for a Government Chief Scientific Adviser – the role of science in policy making
Evidence = science, economics, social and operational research, veterinary sciences, engineering, statistics, geography etc.
Policies are informed by evidence Defra Network spends over £230m p.a.
on evidence (core Defra spends around £160m p.a.)
Profession Number Science 106 Economics 85 Statistics1 80 Social Research 17 Vets 12 Operational Research 10 Engineering 7 Other2 4 Total 321 1 Includes administrative staff providing analytical support to the statisticians; 2 Includes Analysts and Research Fellow es. The numbers shown are as at 3 Feb 2014 and include people who are currently out of the department on loan, secondment, career break, special leave, and people currently on loan / secondment to Defra.
Defra has three lab agencies: Fera (Food and Environment Research Agency), AHVLA (Animal Health Veterinary Laboratory
Agency), Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and
Aquaculture Science) Also scientists at Kew, EA, NE, MMO, JNCC,
FR/FC Over 3000 specialists
provides Ministerial advice on evidence base to support policy decisions
ensures quality and fit-for-purpose science
raises the profile of Defra science and manage interface with the public
is a member of the Defra Supervisory Board
supported by Heads of Profession
Responsible for: providing expert independent advice and
challenge to the Chief Scientific Adviser and ministers
helping to guide Defra’s scientific priorities and planning, including long-range planning as well as dealing with immediate risks and opportunities
Defra’s four priorities are: Growing the rural economy Improving the environment Safeguarding animal health Safeguarding plant health
Running through all of these is the priority of economic growth as the Government's top priority.
Animal Welfare Aquatic Animal Health Bovine TB
Disease Mitigation and Control Endemic diseases Exotic Diseases
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies
Veterinary Medicine and Anti-Microbial Resistance
Climate Change Mitigation for Agriculture and the Food Chain
Crops EU Agriculture and Budget Strategy Farming Elements inc. GM Policy
Livestock Plant Health, Bee Health, Plant Varieties and Seeds
Sustainable, Secure and Healthy Food Supply
Adapting to Climate Change Air Quality Better Regulation
Biodiversity Chemicals & Nanotechnologies Floods
Inland Waterways, Landscape and Outdoor Recreation
Marine Natural Value
Noise Pesticides Rural Communities
Rural Development Programme for England
Soil Protection Waste and Resources
Water Availability and Quality and Drinking Water Inspectorate
Sustainable Consumption and Production
Sustainable Development
Strategic Evidence
Budget Policy context Evidence needs Key partners
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/defra-s-evidence-investment-strategy-2010-to-2013-and-beyond-2011-update
Landscape, Rural, Crops Farming, Land and Soils Floods, Water Availability and Quality Food policy, Chemicals and Emerging Technologies,
GM Air Quality, Noise, Waste Marine EU and Better Regulation Animal Health, Plant Health Animal Welfare, TB
Science Engineering Social Research Economics Statistics Operational Research Etc….
Supporting the CSA, SAC and Director of Analysis
Preparing evidence strategy Setting quality standards, embedding
procurement rules Strategic partnership (EU funding) Geography and Earth Observations Responding to PQs and FoI requests Overseeing evidence budgets Looking after Defra’s specialists
CSA SAC
Corporate evidence
team
Policy teams manage evidence to meet their policy needs
CSA, SAC and Corporate Evidence Team supports evidence processes, ensures QA
Policy DG
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
Volcanic Ash Winter chill Chalara inc. tree health Bees Badgers
Winter chill project Working with the industry
to identify a potential problem
Scoping out a project and ensuring MAFF got a useful report
Speaking to the media Seeing action taken as a
result
The work was immediate, relevant, useful
My team supported the initial response Provided secretariat for Tree Health and Plant Biosecurity
Expert Taskforce https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/200393/pb13878-tree-health-taskforce-final-report.pdf
Worked with BBSRC to get LWEC programme up and running http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/opportunities/2013/tree-health-and-plant-biosecurity-phase2.aspx
It was: very fast-moving, needed to get up to speed very fast (finding experts, arranging meetings, managing stressed people! drafting etc)
Setting up an evidence programme was part of the Government response to the problem
Neonicitinoids: insecticides used on crops Shown to have harmful effects on bees in lab studies
The European Commission pushed through a two-year ban on neonics in response to the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) scientific opinion that these insecticides posed an unacceptable risk to bees.
But UK government said the scientific case for banning neonics, based largely
on lab studies in which bees were exposed to much higher doses of pesticides than when they are in the field.
Fera study established that when used under field conditions within a normal agricultural setting neonics did not have a major effect on bumblebee colonies.
The subject is very emotive. What’s the right answer?
TB a serious and growing problem in dairy herds
Randomised Badger Culling Trial (RBCT)
Expert opinion divided
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animal-diseases/a-z/bovine-tb/badgers/culling/