Dr. Deirdre Lillis:

It is more experts' view on science and certainly a balance between academic and enterprise. We would also be looking for people who have experience of the policymaking process. Just because it is the right answer from a science perspective does not mean it is the right political answer or that it will be acceptable to citizens, etc.

One of the first tasks of the Government science adviser will be to come up with the appropriate composition of that forum. There is also a dual role for the Government science adviser to work across Departments to develop their science advice capacity as well. Fully recognising that many Departments have their own expert sources as well, there would be a role to pull all that together.