Coronavirus: SAGE membership revealed after criticism over transparency
Written by News on 04/05/2020
The membership of the UK government’s scientific advisory group guiding coronavirus policy has been revealed after a list was published online.
Having previously refused to release the names of those on the scientific advisory group for emergencies (SAGE), the government has done so after weeks of pressure over a perceived lack of transparency around their meetings and recommendations.
Two members of the group have not given permission for their names to be revealed.
Number 10 had faced criticism when it emerged that Boris Johnson‘s chief political adviser, Dominic Cummings, had attended meetings of the group, although his name does not feature on the list.
Critics had claimed his presence risked allowing political concerns to dictate coronavirus policy, rather than scientific evidence.
Science and technology committee chair Greg Clark welcomed the publication, which came alongside an “explainer” of SAGE.
“I strongly welcome the commitment to transparency made by SAGE in publishing the names of the members,” the Conservative MP said.
“This was something my committee called for in order to provide public reassurance that government decisions are informed by a broad and substantial body of expert advice.”
Concerns around transparency had prompted former government chief scientific adviser Sir David King to convene a separate “independent” panel of experts who were due to meet on Monday.
Professor David Salisbury, who oversaw vaccination policy during the swine flu pandemic a decade ago and attended SAGE meetings, had told Sky News the government’s withholding of the names meant people were unable to judge their actions.
“Why should we not know?” he said.
“The answer that we are protecting their privacy is no longer a realistic one.
“My name is in the phone book. Why do we want such secrecy that we don’t know who is helping to shape these decisions that are affecting our lives so intrusively?”
Those named on the list are:
Sir Patrick Vallance FMedSci FRS – Government Chief Scientific Adviser
Professor Chris Whitty CB FMedSci – Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health and Social Care
Professor John Aston – Chief Scientific Adviser, Home Office
Professor Wendy Barclay FMedSci – Imperial College London
Professor Phil Blythe – Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Transport
Professor Ian Boyd FRS – University of St Andrews
Professor Andrew Curran – Chief Scientific Adviser, Health and Safety Executive
Dr Gavin Debrera – Public Health England
Professor Sir Ian Diamond FRSE FBA – National Statistician, Office for National Statistics
Professor Yvonne Doyle CB – Medical Director, Public Health England
Professor John Edmunds OBE FMedSci – London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Professor Sir Jeremy Farrar FMedSci – FRS Director, Wellcome Trust
Professor Neil Ferguson OBE FMedSci – Imperial College London
Dr Aidan Fowler FRCS – National Health Service England
Professor Julia Gog – University of Cambridge
Dr David Halpern – Behavioural Insights Team, Cabinet Office
Dr Jenny Harries OBE – Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Dr Demis Hassabis FRS – Personal capacity as a data scientist
Professor Peter Horby – University of Oxford
Dr Indra Joshi – NHSx
Professor Dame Theresa Marteau FMedSci – University of Cambridge
Professor Dame Angela McLean FRS – Chief Scientific Adviser, Ministry of DefenceProfessor Graham Medley – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Professor Andrew Morris FMedSci FRSE – University of Edinburgh
Professor Carole Mundell – Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Professor Cath Noakes – University of Leeds
Dr Rob Orford – Welsh Government
Professor Michael Parker – University of Oxford
Professor Sharon Peacock FMedSci – Public Health England
Professor Alan Penn – Chief Scientific Adviser, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Professor Steve Powis FRCP – National Health Service England
Dr Mike Prentice – National Health Service England
Mr Osama Rahman – Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Education
Professor Venki Ramakrishnan PRS – Ex Officio as Chair of DELVE, convened by the Royal Society
Professor Andrew Rambaut FRSE – University of Edinburgh
Professor Tom Rodden – Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Professor Brooke Rogers OBE – Kings College London
Dr James Rubin – Kings College London
Professor Calum Semple – University of Liverpool
Dr Mike Short CBE – Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Trade
Dr Gregor Smith – Scottish Government Chief Medical Officer
Professor Sir David Spieglhalter FRS – University of Cambridge
Professor Jonathan Van Tam MBE – Deputy Chief Medical Officer
Professor Russell Viner PRCPCH – University College London
Professor Charlotte Watts CMG FMedSci – Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Development
Professor Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci – FRS UK Research and Innovation
Professor Mark Woolhouse FRSE – University of Edinburgh
Professor Lucy Yardley – University of Bristol
Professor Ian Young – Northern Ireland Executive
Professor Maria Zambon FMedSci – Public Health England
This week Kay Burley will be hosting a live Q&A with Health Secretary Matt Hancock. You can put your questions to Mr Hancock about the coronavirus and its impact on your life live on Sky News.
Email us your questions – or you can record a video clip of your question on your phone – and send it to AskTheHealthSecretary@sky.uk
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: SAGE membership revealed after criticism over transparency
