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Direct Communications Unit
2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF
Switchboard 020 7035 4848 Fax: 020 7035 4745 Textphone: 020 7035 4742
E-mail: xxxxxx.xxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx Website: www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Mr Charlie Burton
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
1 July 2009
Dear Mr Burton
Freedom of Information Act 2000 request
I am writing further to my letter of 2nd June and with reference to your
information request of 5th March about the disclosure of information held by
the Home Office. The length of time it has taken to conclude this case, has
been necessary to collate the information and to fully consider the public
interest in relation to qualified exemptions. We are now in a position to provide
you with a reply to your request.
Your request was:
“I would like to make a request under the Freedom of Information Act. I would
be very grateful if you would provide me with a list of scientific advisory
councils and committees, or ad hoc groups that you have convened or
consulted for scientific advice since 1997.
For each of these could you please provide details of when they met, who was
present, and the topic of discussion.”
I am pleased to be able to disclose most of the information that we collated in
response to your request. Please find this information enclosed together with
relevant explanatory context. The full list of information we are providing you
is available at Annex A. However, some of the information we hold about two
of the groups listed at Annex A is exempt from disclosure (the Chemical
Biological Radiological Nuclear Resilience Advisory Group and the Scientific
Panel for Emergency Response [SAPER]). The membership of these groups
is exempt from disclosure under section 40(2) of the FOI Act on the basis that
disclosure would breach the Data Protection Act, and information about the
topics covered by SAPER is exempt under section 31(1)(a) as disclosure
would prejudice the prevention and detection of crime.
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Furthermore, I neither confirm nor deny whether (under section 23(5)) any
further information is held, which was either supplied by or relates to the
security bodies listed in section 23(3) of the FOI Act, or which otherwise
relates to national security. You should not take this statement to be an
indication that such information either is or is not held by the department.
Further details about the application of exemptions can be found in Annex B;
and should you be dissatisfied with this response, details of your rights of
complaint can be found in Annex C.
I hope that you will find the information disclosed to you of interest, and I
would like to reassure you that where used, the application of exemptions has
been considered with great care in this case. The Home Office always seeks
to provide as much information as it is able to.
Yours sincerely
Iain Williams
Head of the Science Secretariat
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Annex A. Index of information provided (as of 5 March 2009)
Name of Advisory Committee Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs Animal Procedures Committee (APC) Biometric Assurance Group (BAG)
including standing sub- (ACMD) and standing committee and and standing committees and working
committees working groups groups
• ACMD was established in 1971 and is • APC was formed in 1986 under the • BAG was formed in November 2005 and
Duration of Existence/ ongoing Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is ongoing
Frequency of meetings • 2-3 meetings per annum of full council and is ongoing • 3-5 meetings per annum
plus meetings of standing committee and • 4-5 meetings per annum plus standing
working groups. Information on the committee and ad hoc working group
working groups is available on the ACMD meetings. Information on standing
web site committees and working groups are
published each year in the APC annual
report and on the ‘Minutes of Meetings’
page on the APC web site
2000: 25 May; 16 Nov 1999: 10 Feb; 7 April; 12 May; 30 June; 8 2006: 25 Feb; 15 May; 26 Sep; 11 Dec;
2001: 31 May; 7 Nov Sept; 13 Oct; 10 Nov; 8 Dec 2007: 15 Mar; 12 June; 15 Sep;
Meeting dates 2002: 15 Jan; 30 May; 28 Nov 2000: 9 Feb; 12 April; 28 Jun; 13 Sept; 13 2008: 15 Jan; 26 Mar, 9 June, 15 Sep, 8 Dec
2003: 1 April; 6 Nov Dec
2004: 1 April; 4 Nov 2001: 14 Feb; 9 May; 12 Sep; 10 Oct; 12
2005: 19 May; 24 Nov Dec
2006: 25 May; 23 Nov 2002: 13 Feb; 10 April; 26 June; 9 Oct; 11
2007: 24 May; 29 Nov Dec
2008: 19 May; 25 Nov 2003: 12 Feb; 9 April; 25 June; 18 Dec
2004: 14 April; 23 June; 13 Oct
2005: 9 Feb; 13 April; 22 June; 12 Oct; 14
Dec
2006: 8 Feb; 12 April; 21 June; 11 Oct; 13
Dec
2007: 14 Feb; 12 April; 10 Oct; 12 Dec
2008: 13 Feb; 18 June; 8 Oct; 10 Dec
2009: 11 Feb
• Detailed in the meetings minutes available • Details of current topics are available in • Independent peer review of the approach
on the ACMD web site the current work programme page on the to biometric testing
Topics covered • Terms of reference can be found on the APC web site and in the annual APC • Requirements and proposed solutions of
ACMD Terms of reference web page reports dating back to 1987 which are programmes in UK government which use
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• Annual reports dating back to 2001 available on the APC web site. Recent biometrics
available on the ACMD website reports and publications are listed on the
Home Page of the APC web site. .
.
Membership • Published on the membership page on the • Published on the membership page on the • Membership details of the Biometric
ACMD website and listed in each annual APC web site and listed in the annual report Assurance Group are published in the
report annual report on the Identity and Passport
Service website.
Web address http://drugs.homeoffice.gov.uk/drugs- http://www.apc.gov.uk/ http://www.ips.gov.uk/identity/downloads/
laws/acmd/ FINAL-BAG-annual-report-2007-v1_0.pdf
Name of Advisory Committee Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Forensic Science Advisory Council National DNA Database Ethics Group
including standing sub- Resilience Advisory Group (CBRN) (FSC)
committee
• CBRN was formed in 2004 and is ongoing •. Established in November 2007 and • Established in September 2007
Duration of Existence/ • Quarterly meetings per annum ongoing • Ongoing meetings held quarterly
Frequency of meetings • 4-6 Meetings per year
2007: 3 Oct; 13 Dec 2007:19 Nov 2007: 3 Sept; 13 Dec
2008: 4 Mar; 18 June; 16 Sept; 10 Dec 2008: 22 Jan; 18 Feb; 7 April; 23 June; 15 2008: 13 Mar; 5 June; 18 Sept; 18 Dec
Meeting dates 2009: 8 Apr Sept; 1-2 Dec 2009: 4 Mar
2009: 2 Mar
• To provide scientific review of proposals • Advice on ethical issues around the
• Advise and support the Forensic Science
and ongoing work within the Home Office Regulator across a wide range of issues operation and practice of the National DNA
Topics covered CBRN Science & Technology Programme database
relevant to quality standards in forensic
• To provide scientific input and advice to
science
technical working groups that directly or
indirectly support provision of improved
UK capability to deal with CBRN terrorism
• To provide scientific input and advice to
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policy documents where there is a major
technical aspect
• To highlight technical developments that
may benefit the development of improved
UK ability to reduce the risk of CBRN
terrorism
Membership • Not available • Published on the Forensic Science • Published on the Forensic Science
Membership details withheld under section advisory council web site Regulator NDAD Ethics Group web page
40(2) of the FOI Act, see Annex B. on the Home Office web site and listed in
the annual report
Web address Not applicable http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational
-policing/forensic-science- -policing/forensic-science-
regulator/forensic-advisory-council/ regulator/ndnad-ethics-group/
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Name of Advisory Committee DNA Analysis Specialist Group Quality Standards Specialist Group Digital Forensics Specialist Group
including standing sub-
committees
Duration of Existence/ • Established July 2008 •. Established July 2008 • Established July 2008
Frequency of meetings • Ongoing meetings held quarterly • Ongoing meetings held quarterly • Ongoing meetings held quarterly
2008: 10 July, 19 Aug, 17 Dec 2008: 8 July, 19 Sept, 11 Dec 2008: 8 July, 9 Oct
2009: 24 Feb 2009: 25 Feb
Meeting dates
• Reviewing current DNA standards • Identifying requirements for new
• Advice on the preparation implementation
in forensic DNA analysis standards in the provision of digital forensic
and monitoring of quality standards in
Topics covered services to the Criminal Justice System
forensic science
Membership • Published on the Forensic Science • Published on the Forensic Science • Published on the Forensic Science
Regulator specialist groups web page on the Regulator specialist groups web page on the Regulator specialist groups web page on the
Home Office web site Home Office web site Home Office web site
Web address http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational
-policing/forensic-science- -policing/forensic-science- -policing/forensic-science-
regulator/specialist-groups/ regulator/specialist-groups/ regulator/specialist-groups/
Name of Advisory Committee Forensic Pathology Specialist Group Practitioner Standards Specialist Group End User Specialist Group
including standing sub-
committees
• Established November 2008 •. Established June 2008 • Established July 2008
Duration of Existence/ • Ongoing meetings held quarterly • Ongoing • Ongoing meetings held quarterly
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Frequency of meetings
2008: 14 Nov 2008: 17 June; 5 Sept 2008: 22 July; 25 Nov
2009: 26 Feb
Meeting dates
• Forensic pathology quality standards and • End user requirement for forensic science
• Reviewed the accreditation of practitioners
guidance services
and advised on implementation and
Topics covered monitoring of practitioner standards
Membership • Membership listed below as not yet • Published on the Forensic Science • Published on the Forensic Science
published on the web site Regulator specialist groups web page on the Regulator specialist groups web page on the
Home Office web site Home Office web site
Web address http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational
-policing/forensic-science- -policing/forensic-science- -policing/forensic-science-
regulator/specialist-groups/ regulator/specialist-groups/ regulator/specialist-groups/
Name of Advisory Committee Home Office Science Advisory Committee Surveys, Design and Statistics sub- Home Office Information, Systems and
including standing sub- (HOSAC)1 committee (SDSSC) Technology advisory group (HO IST)
committees
• HOSAC was established in 2003 • SDSSC was established • HO IST was established
Duration of Existence/ • 2- 3 meetings per annum in October 2007 as a in November 2008 as a
Frequency of meetings HOSAC sub-committee HOSAC sub-committee.
• 3-4 meetings per annum • Ad-hoc
1
Formerly known as the Home Office Science and Technology Reference Group. The name of the Committee was formally changed to the Home Office
Science Advisory Committee in July 2007.
7
2003: 30 Oct 2007: 23 Oct; 17 Dec 2008: 26 Nov
Meeting dates 2004: 3 Feb; 7 July 2008: 15 Apr; 10 Jun; 23 Sep
2005: 28 Feb; 12 Oct 2009: 20 Jan;
2006: 6 Apr; 21 Nov
2007: 13 Jul; 30 Nov
2008: 22 Jan; 15 May; 14 Oct
2009: 28 Jan
Topics include: • British Crime Survey
• Systems and Technology Strategy
• Departmental Science Business • Migration Statistics
• Development of Information
Topics covered Plans • Crime Statistics Management (IM) Strategy
• Science and Innovation Strategy • Drugs surveys
• Government Office for Science • Localisation of crime data • Enterprise Architecture approach
Review of the Home Office • Response to the UK Statistics Authority • IT and IM systems and processes
• ID Cards •Consultation: ‘Official Statistics: • Next Generation Information Systems
Serving the Public Good’. Technology Transformation programme.
Membership • Published on the Committee’s web pages on • Published on the Committee’s web pages • Membership list attached below
the Home Office web site on the Home Office website
Web address http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/sci http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/s http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/s
ence-advisory-committee/ cience-advisory-committee/ cience-advisory-committee/
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Name of Advisory Committee Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) Policy Advisory Board for Forensic Policy Advisory Board for Forensic
including standing sub- Pathology Pathology Scientific Standards
committees Committee
•. MAC was formed in 2007 and is ongoing • Created in 1991 following Wasserman • Created in 1991
Duration of Existence/ • Usually once a month Report. • It met at approximately 3-6 months
Frequency of meetings • It met every 12 to 18 months intervals.
Disbanded in 2006 Disbanded in 2006
2007: 7 Dec
Meeting dates 2008: 11 meetings
2009: 6 Feb and 6 Mar
• The Board oversaw the provision of
• Reviewing the shortage occupation lists • The group advised on standards related to
forensic pathology services in England and
and defining skilled occupations forensic pathology
Topics covered Wales and considered all matters related to
• Worker registration schemes
that subject. This included standards related
to the performance of forensic pathology.
Membership • Published on the Committee’s web pages on • Membership changed over period, 2005 • Membership changed over period, 2006
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the Home Office website membership attached membership attached
Web address http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/
workingwithus/indbodies/mac/
Name of Advisory Committee Police Science and Technology Future Scanning Sub-Committee2 Co-ordination Sub-committee2
including standing sub- Strategy Group (PSTSG)2
committees
• Police Science and Technology Strategy • The Futures Scanning Sub-Committee of • The Co-ordination Sub-committee of PSTSG
Duration of Existence/ Group was established in July 2002. PSTSG was established as a sub-group of the was established as a sub-committee of the
Frequency of meetings • approx quarterly meetings Police and Technology Strategy Group in Police Science and Technology Strategy
February 2003. Group in April 2003.
•Approx quarterly meetings • Approx quarterly meetings
2002: 16 July; 16 Sept; 24 Oct 2003: 25 Feb; 25 Mar; 8 May; 15 July; 29 2003: 15 May; 30 June; 2 Oct
2003: 10 Feb; 7 April; 7 July; 13 Oct; 8 Dec Sept; 2 Dec 2004: 26 Feb; 26 May; 9 Aug; 15 Nov
Meeting dates 2004: 15 Mar; 14 June; 4 Oct 2004: 9 Feb; 28 May; 9 Aug; 15 Nov 2005: 7 Feb; 29 Apr; 25 Jul; 10 Nov
2005: 4 Jan; 12 May 2005: 29 April; 25 July
2
Responsibility for the administration of the Police Science and Technology Strategy Group and it sub-groups (Future Scanning Sub Committee and the Co-
ordination Sub-Committee) transferred to the National Policing Improvement Agency during 2006, no further information is held by the Home Office beyond
that date.
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•Providing advice to Home Secretary on the • Identification and assessment of scientific • Science and technology projects being
overall strategic management and funding of and technological innovations that may have conducted for/by the police. •
Topics covered policing based police science and technology, an impact on policing and/or crime. Identification of appropriate criteria for setting
and advice on the use of powers of direction. •Commissioning further investigation to national standards for the development of
•Development and review of, Police Science ensure sufficient detail is available for science and technology projects.
and Technology Strategy. analysis and recommendations to be made. • Identification of key areas for increasing
•Monitoring and evaluation to provide •Advising Police Strategy Group on the common implementation standards of the
strategic overview and advice on key policing threats and opportunities and relevant action above criteria.
science and technology projects. to be taken.
•Maintain effective links with key internal and
external stakeholders.
Membership published in Strategy Report Membership list attached Membership list attached
Membership published 16 Jan 2003
Strategy Report published 26 May 2004
Web address http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/Po
liceST_S2_part11.pdf
Name of Advisory Committee Migration Impacts Forum (MIF) Scientific Panel for Emergency Response
including standing sub- (SAPER)
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committee
• Established in June 2007 •Established in 2002
Duration of Existence/ • Aims to meet quarterly • 1-3 times a year
Frequency of meetings Disbanded in 2008
2007: 21 June; 17 Oct 2003: 22 April; 7 Oct
2008: 16 Jan; 21 May; 16 July; 15 Oct 2004: 21 July; 23 Nov
Meeting dates 2009: 27 Jan 2005: 21 July
2006: 16 Feb; 22 July; 19 Oct
2007: 1 Mar; 27 Oct
• Work by the Office of National Statistics to Withheld under section 31(1)(a)
develop statistics, restrictions on migrant
Topics covered workers, Commission on integration and .
Cohesion report
• Migration and Housing, migration policy,
Migration Advisory Committee work plan
• Managing the Impacts of Migration,
Enforcement strategy, Crime and Policing
• Migration Advisory Committee shortage
lists
• Workers registration scheme and Migration
Excellence Programme
• Health and Social Care
Membership • Published on the Home Office and • The Government's Chief Scientific Adviser
Communities and Local Government web site chaired the committee and membership is
drawn from Government, practitioners and
academia. While the existence of the Science
Working Group and SAPER are in the public
domain their membership and activities are
withheld under sections 40(2) and 31(1)(a) of
the FOI Act respectively.
http://www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitec
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Web address ontent/documents/managingourborder NA
s/mif/papersandagendas/
http://www.communities.gov.uk/comm
unities/racecohesionfaith/asylumandi
mmigration/migration-forum/
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Policy Advisory Board for Forensic Pathology
Disbanded in 2006, membership in 2005 was as follows
Mr T J Wilson
Dr A Anscombe
Dr C Bouch
Dr N R B Cary
Dr W Lawler
Dr S Leadbeatter
Prof C M Milroy
Dr R T Shepherd
Prof H L Whitwell
Prof J Crane
Mr B Gryzmek
Prof D Pounder
Dr H Millward-Sadler
Mr G Ryall
Ms M MacDaid
Mr G Pugh
Mr D Dovaston
Dr T J Rothwell
Dr Cooper
Dr Keeling
Mr Lake
Mr A Pugh
Dr A Scaplehorn
Policy Board for Forensic Pathology Scientific Standards Committee
Disbanded in 2006, membership in 2006 was as follows
Dr H Millward-Sadler
Dr C Bouch
Dr N Cary
Prof J Crane
Ms L Griffin
Dr W Lawler
Dr B Purdue
Mr N Rheinberg
Prof H Whitwell
Dr Anscombe
Dr White
Dr Rothwell
Home Office Information, Systems and Technology advisory group:
Membership as follows
Dr Mike Rodd (Computing) Institute of Electrical Engineers
Dr Daniel McCaughan (Engineering) Royal Academy of Engineering
Professor Sheila Bird (Statistics) Royal Statistical Society, University of Cambridge
Dr Elizabeth Sparrow (Computing) British Computer Society
Dr Jon Holt Institution of Engineering and Technology
Forensic Pathology Specialist Group
Membership as follows
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Harry Sadler (University of Southampton)
Jeff Adams (Home Office)
Martin Bottomley (ACPO)
Caroline Browne (Human Tissue Authority)
Linda Cockburn (Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service)
Jack Crane (Northern Ireland Office
James Grieve (Scottish Executive)
Anne Harrison (NPIA)
Paul Johnson (Royal College of Pathologists)
Nigel Meadows (Coroners Society)
Basil Purdue (British Association in Forensic Medicine)
Trevor Rothwell (Consultant)
Charlie Wilson (British Association in Forensic Medicine)
Police Science and Technology Strategy Future Scanning Group
Membership as follows (as of 2006):
Alan Pratt PSDB (Police Science Development Branch)
Paul Garvin ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers
Daniel McCaughan RAE (Royal Academy of Engineering)
Karl Cunion OST (Office of Science and Technology)
Paul Ekblom Home Office RDS (Research Development and
Statistics)
Michael Horner Home Office SPU (Science Policy Unit)
Jeff Adams Home Office SPU (Science Policy Unit)
Trevor Howitt FSS (Forensic Science Service)
Stephen Thurlow PITO (Police Information and Technology Organisation)
Kevin Robson Police Superintendents Association
David Moore Police Federation
Jon Ashe Unison
Police Science and Technology Strategy Co-ordination Group
Membership as follows (as of 2006):
Alan Pratt (chair) PSDB (Police Science Development Branch)
Sheila Hardwick PSDB (Police Science Development Branch)
Michael Horner Home Office SPU (Science Policy Unit)
Reg Pengelly HMIC (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary)
Bob Green Home Office Police Standards Unit
Phillip Jacobs PITO (Police Information and Technology Organisation)
Paul Garvin ACPO
Kerry Curtis APA (Association of Police Authorities)
Stephen Webb Home Office (Policing Organised Crime Unit)
Cecilia Buffery FSS (Forensic Science Service)
Dave Barclay Centrex
Andy Feist Home Office Research Development and Statistics
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ANNEX B – Application of Exemptions
Section 40(2)
The membership of any of these groups constitutes the personal data of those people.
Therefore that information can only be disclosed where release would not breach the Data
Protection Act (DPA). In the case of these two groups alone, disclosure would constitute a
breach of the DPA given the more sensitive nature of the issues that they cover. The
members of these groups have no expectation that their identities will be revealed, and given
this and the nature of their work, it would not be “fair” to release them. to do so would breach
the requirement contained within the first data protection principle (DPA Schedule 1, Part I,
Paragraph 1) that the processing of personal data must be “fair and lawful”.
Section 31(1)(a)
SAPER discusses topics which relate to law enforcement activities, notably those connected
to the prevention and detection of crime. The disclosure of information demonstrating exactly
what topics have been discussed and conversely, which have not, would aid those wishing to
commit crime. Therefore as harm would be caused, the exemption contained within section
31(1)(a) of the FOI Act is engaged. Section 31(1)(a) is however a qualified exemption, which
means that even when engaged it can only be applied where the public interest in disclosure
is outweighed by that against.
There is a clear public interest in the disclosure of information which holds government
accountable in relation to matters around emergency planning, and also in increasing public
understanding and providing public reassurance in relation to them. I acknowledge that the
disclosure of this information would help satisfy the public interest in disclosure in these ways.
However there is also a very strong public interest in protecting the public from crime and
given the current sensitivity of the information held, I consider the public interest against
release to outweigh that in favour of it.
Sections 23(5) and 24(2)
These provisions exempt public authorities from stating whether or not information supplied
by or relating to the intelligence agencies is held, or any information otherwise required for
the purpose of safeguarding national security.
Section 23(5) is an absolute exemption which absolves public authorities of their duty to
confirm or deny the holding of information supplied by or relating to the security bodies listed
in section 23(3) of the FOI Act. Section 24(2) does likewise where it is necessary to neither
confirm nor deny (NCND) the existence (or not) of such material where this is otherwise
necessary for the safeguarding of national security. Section 24(2) is a qualified exemption.
There is a public interest in openness accountability in relation to the work of the SAPER and
CBRN groups. However I consider that this is overridden here by the public interest in
maintaining the NCND position in relation to these exemptions in the interests of
safeguarding national security.
You should not take this as an indication that information falling within these categories is or
is not held.
ANNEX C – Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with this response you may request an independent internal review of
our handling of your request by submitting your complaint in writing within two months to the
address below.
Information Access Team
Information Management Service
Home Office
4th Floor, Seacole Building
16
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Email: xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx
During the independent review the handling of your information request will be reassessed by
staffs who were not involved in providing you with this response. Should you remain
dissatisfied after this internal review, you will have a right of complaint to the Information
Commissioner as established by section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act.
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