Sage revealed: Names of 50 scientists advising the Government on coronavirus FINALLY made public

Sage revealed: Names of 50 scientists advising the Government on coronavirus FINALLY made public – as a member DENIES mounting claims that it has bowed to pressure from ministers

  • Just two scientists refused to allow their identities to be revealed to public
  • Identity of Sage members previously a secret on security grounds
  • But individual members including chair said they were not against openness  
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

The membership of the secretive committee which has been advising the Government on its handling of coronavirus was finally made public today.

The names of those who sit on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had not previously been published on security and independence grounds.

But this morning the Government bowed to mounting pressure and release then names of 50 experts across many fields who have sat in regular meetings during the pandemic – with just two refusing to be identified 

It came as a Sage member today flatly dismissed claims the advisory group has bowed to pressure from ministers on coronavirus. 

Sir Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust, said he had never experienced any attempt to ‘influence’ guidance, as the government’s former chief scientist Sir David King set up a rival ‘independent’ body.

He also rejected concerns about No10 chief Dominic Cummings attending the crucial gatherings, which ministers say have dictated their response to the crisis.

But Sir Jeremy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme there should be more transparency about the work of SAGE, with membership and minutes published.  

Sir David, who was chief science adviser from 2000 to 2007, has declared he will chair an alternative to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies this afternoon.

He said the new board was necessary because he feared experts were deferring to ministers.

Sir Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust, said he had never experienced any attempt to ‘influence’ SAGE

Sir David King, who was chief science adviser from 2000 to 2007, has declared he will chair an alternative to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies this afternoon

Sir David King, who was chief science adviser from 2000 to 2007, has declared he will chair an alternative to the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies this afternoon

Asked if that meant they were not free to speak their minds, Sir David told Today: ‘I believe that’s the case, yes.

‘I think there’s a very big difference between the situation today and the situation as it was in 2010-11, that is quite simply the permission to speak in the public domain has been changed.

‘I think the main point I’m making is that an independent science advisory group really needs to be dominated by people whose income is not determined by the fact they are working for the Government.’

However, Sir Jeremy said around 250 people ‘feed into’ SAGE and he had not detected any efforts to influence it. 

Asked if he had been taken aback that Mr Cummings attended some meetings, Sir Jeremy said: ‘I was not surprised. I would personally view that advisers from the central part of government – which is effectively No10 – do attend those meetings. I think that helps the advice getting into government.

‘Unless policy makers and decision makers within the government machinery hear the advice then it’s very difficult for that advice to be followed through and implemented.

‘As long as those policy makers do not influence the advice that is given, and I have never witnessed policy makers from No10 or anywhere else in government actually trying to influence that advice, I think that it is helpful that SAGE is listened to by people within policy.’ 

Sir Jeremy rejected concerns about No10 chief Dominic Cummings (pictured in Whitehall today) attending SAGE gatherings, which ministers say have dictated their response to the crisis

Sir Jeremy rejected concerns about No10 chief Dominic Cummings (pictured in Whitehall today) attending SAGE gatherings, which ministers say have dictated their response to the crisis

Sir Jeremy said he backs publishing the membership of the advisory group as well as the group’s advice and the minutes of its meetings.

He told Today: ‘I think transparency is right. I’m all in favour that the names of people on that group are made available to everybody, and indeed I would push very clearly for that advice to be made public from the start.

‘Personally, I would make the minutes transparently available after a certain time.

‘Transparency helps people to understand the uncertainty, the difficulty, the fact that actually advice does have to change as the facts change.

‘That’s only sensible and logical.’  

Who is on Sage? 

 Sir Patrick Vallance FMedSci FRS Government Chief Scientific Adviser

Professor Chris Whitty CB FMedSci Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser, Department of Health and Social Care

Professor John Aston Chief Scientific Adviser, Home Office

Professor Wendy Barclay FMedSci Imperial College London

Professor Phil Blythe Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Transport

Professor Ian Boyd FRSE University of St Andrews

Professor Andrew Curran Chief Scientific Adviser, Health and Safety Executive

Dr Gavin Debrera Public Health England

Professor Sir Ian Diamond FRSE FBA National Statistician, Office for National Statistics

Professor Yvonne Doyle CB Medical Director, Public Health England

Professor John Edmunds OBE FMedSci London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Professor Sir Jeremy Farrar FMedSci FRS Director, Wellcome Trust

Professor Neil Ferguson OBE FMedSci Imperial College London

Dr Aidan Fowler FRCS National Health Service England

Professor Julia Gog University of Cambridge

Dr David Halpern Behavioural Insights Team, Cabinet Office

Dr Jenny Harries OBE Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Dr Demis Hassabis FRS Personal capacity as a data scientist

Professor Peter Horby University of Oxford

Dr Indra Joshi NHSx

Professor Dame Theresa Marteau FMedSci University of Cambridge

Professor Dame Angela McLean FRS Chief Scientific Adviser, Ministry of Defence

Professor Graham Medley London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine

Professor Andrew Morris FMedSci FRSE University of Edinburgh

Professor Carole Mundell Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Professor Cath Noakes University of Leeds

Dr Rob Orford Welsh Government

Professor Michael Parker University of Oxford

Professor Sharon Peacock FMedSci Public Health England

Professor Alan Penn Chief Scientific Adviser, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Professor Steve Powis FRCP National Health Service England

Dr Mike Prentice National Health Service England

Mr Osama Rahman Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Education

Professor Venki Ramakrishnan PRS Ex Officio as Chair of DELVE, convened by the Royal Society

Professor Andrew Rambaut FRSE University of Edinburgh

Professor Tom Rodden Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Professor Brooke Rogers OBE Kings College London

Dr James Rubin Kings College London

Professor Calum Semple University of Liverpool

Dr Mike Short CBE Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Trade

Dr Gregor Smith Scottish Government Chief Medical Officer

Professor Sir David Spieglhalter FRS University of Cambridge

Professor Jonathan Van Tam MBE Deputy Chief Medical Officer

Professor Russell Viner PRCPCH University College London

Professor Charlotte Watts CMG FMedSci Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Development

Professor Mark Walport FRCP FMedSci FRS UK Research and Innovation

Professor Mark Woolhouse FRSE University of Edinburgh

Professor Lucy Yardley University of Bristol

Professor Ian Young Northern Ireland Executive

Professor Maria Zambon FMedSci Public Health England