§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on the percentage of the membership of her Department's Science Advisory Council which has expertise in environmental matters. [154764]
§ Mr. MorleyDefra has established the Science Advisory Council as an independent. advisory NDPB to provide advice to the CSA and through him to Ministers on the scope, balance and direction of science that underpins the Departments policies. The full terms of reference were set out in the Defra News Release 34/04. The Council membership of 12 covers a wide range of senior, external expertise. Those Members who have a particular background in environmental science issues include:
Professor John Shepherd, FRS is Professor of Marine Sciences and Director of the Earth System Modelling Initiative at the Southampton Oceanography Centre. University of Southampton. He possesses broad professional/scientific knowledge of environmental science, especially marine ecology, climate management and fisheries management.
Professor Alan Thorpe is Director of the NERC Centres for Atmospheric Science and Professor of Meteorology at the University of Reading. As an atmospheric science research scientist he has a broad perspective of atmospheric science issues relevant to the environment including air quality and composition.
Professor Jeffrey Wage is Head of the Department of Agricultural Sciences. Imperial College and Provost of the Wye campus. His principal area of scientific expertise is ecology and the biological control of pests. He has a broad knowledge of the interactions between agriculture and the environment.
Professor Thomas Meagher is Professor of Plant Biology at the University of St. Andrews and a member of NERC's Environmental Genomics Steering Committee. He specialises in population genetics and its societal relevance of this.
Professor Richard Mithen is Head of plant food for the health protection programme at the Institute for Food Research. He has broad scientific background in plant and crop science and agricultural production including biodiversity.
Professor Philip Lowe is Director of the Centre for Rural Economy, University of Newcastle upon Tyne and Director for the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme of the UK Research Councils.
Dr. Andrew Stirling is a senior lecturer and research fellow within the Science and Technology Policy Research Department, University of Sussex. A social scientist, he also has a broad knowledge of environmental issues and was a board member of Greenpeace International.
666WIn appointing Members, we looked for those able to contribute to the issues facing the Department not merely in their chosen areas of expertise but also the wider agenda of the Department. We expect the Council to carry forward much of its work through subgroups and will co-opt appropriate experts as required to bring to bear on the issues. We shall keep the Council's workings and membership under review.