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President of City St George’s co-authors proposal outlining steps to strengthen science and technology capability within government

By Amy Ripley (PR & Communications Manager), Published

As the new government settles into power and considers how to address the many challenges facing the country, it must have a Civil Service that is better equipped to deliver its missions.  A key part of this is talent, specifically creating the right channels to bring Science and Technology (S&T) expertise and capacity into different parts of government.

These are the key suggestions of a new proposal Bringing Science and Tech Talent to Government co-authored by Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein, President, City St George’s and Laura Lungu, PhD Candidate in Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology.

Professor Finkelstein said:

The Civil Service will be crucial in implementing the new government’s ambitious policy agenda and support it in governing the country. An effective Civil Service is a prerequisite to economic growth.  By infusing science and technology expertise, we can supercharge its ability to deliver groundbreaking policies.

The proposal sets out a ten point plan for bringing S&T talent into government, including:

  1. Making policymakers good 'customers' through S&T literacy
  2. Enhanced engagement with national academies
  3. A single cross-government 'fast-response advice' scheme
  4. Powering-up existing UKRI fellowship schemes
  5. Industry and university secondments
  6. Expanding S&T fast stream beyond STEM degrees
  7. Establishing 'innovation placements' from start-ups
  8. Developing 'shadow' Science Advisory Committees
  9. Reviewing grading structures for S&T roles
  10. Commissioning review of UK science capacity in strategic/security areas

Professor Finkelstein, a former Chief Scientific Adviser for National Security to HM Government, said although the UK currently possesses a well-developed ‘Policy Profession’ within government, it is critically under-strength in S&T at all levels.

“Addressing this shortfall, and ultimately tipping the Civil Service away from a reliance upon ‘generalists’, is a long-term agenda but these actions do not require significant resources, simply organisation and collective will.  The quicker we get this underway, the earlier we will have the capacity we need,” he said.

Professor Finkelstein suggested that the government could also draw on UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), the National Academies, Universities, professional organisations and industry for support.

The proposal is part of UK Day One, a non-partisan initiative dedicated to supercharging UK growth and progress by transforming ideas from the science, technology, and innovation community into implementation-ready policies.

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