Scientific advisory committees review programme

For each committee, the review objectives will be to assess:

• whether there is a continuing need for the committee
• whether the role and remit of the committee is clearly defined and appropriate to where they should have most impact, value and relevance
• the methods of operation and effectiveness, including each committee's terms of reference and composition
• the openness and transparency of its procedures
• the relationships between the committee, the commissioning department and other bodies with related responsibilities (in particular the other scientific advisory committees that advise the Agency)

The duration of the reviews will be three months and involve the assessment of committee papers, attendance at a committee meeting, discussion with the committee’s Chair, members, secretariat, Agency Chief Scientist, other recipients of the committee's advice, and consultations with key stakeholders.

A report of the review will include strategic recommendations, designed to add value to the operation of the reviewed SAC. The Agency’s Chief Scientist will use report to co-ordinate a proposed Agency response for consideration by the Board, drawing on the views of the SAC in question, the General Advisory Committee on Science, and the other bodies who receive or use advice from the SAC.

The lessons and good practice identified from each of the reviews will be shared as widely as possible across our network of SACs.

The review reports will feed into the Chief Scientist’s annual report and annual assessment of SACs, as part of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser’s monitoring and evaluation of SACs.

The SACs below will each be reviewed as part of the programme during the financial year 2010/ 2011

• Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF)
• Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)

Reports from the review programme can be accessed by the links below.