Watching the directives : scientific advice on the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive : fourth report of session 2005-06 : report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence / House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Science and Technology.
Date:
2006
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Licence: Open Government Licence

Credit: Watching the directives : scientific advice on the EU Physical Agents (Electromagnetic Fields) Directive : fourth report of session 2005-06 : report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence / House of Commons, Science and Technology Committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Policymaking” , 2005. HSE has produced a statement for the implementation of these Guidelines at: http:// www.hse.gov.uk/science/gl2000res05-04.pdf. The Chief Scientist monitors, annually audits and reviews implementation of the Guidelines, ensuring that they are assimilated into HSE practice and that the principles are widely understood and applied. As a member of the HSE Board, the Chief Scientist is also able, where appropriate, to advise the Board on the significance, validity and use of scientific advice provided to the policy makers. 7. HSC receives integrated scientific and technical policy advice from some Subject Advisory Committees, which comply with the GCSA’s Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Committees. See: http:// www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/iacs/index.htm. What is the role of the Government Chief Scientific Adviser in the policy making process and what impact has he made to date? 8. The Office of Science and Technology will discuss the role and overall impact of the GCSA. HSE has valued the GCSA’s role in independently assessing its performance in obtaining and using scientific evidence in sensitive areas of policy making, eg Asbestos regulations. Are existing advisory bodies being used in a satisfactory manner? 9. The responsibility for the way that medical equipment is used rests with the individual healthcare providers within the overarching general advice and guidance provided by DH or agencies such as MHRA. HSE has regulatory oversight of compliance by employers with the relevant health and safety legislation and recognises the need to work closely with MHRA on specific safety issues. This is consistent with HSE’s policy of using existing and relevant bodies where appropriate rather than creating new ones. In 1993 a forerunner of the MHRA prepared “Guidelines for Magnetic Resonance Equipment in Clinical Use”. This was revised in 1997, and again in December 2002. The medical professional bodies (Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine, Royal College of Radiologists, British Institute of Radiology, College of Radiographers, British Association of MR Radiographers) were all represented and consulted during the drafting process. A manufacturers’ trade association was also consulted. The National Radiological Protection Board (now HPA-RPD) and HSE also participated. MHRA have indicated that they intend to review this publication in 2006-07. HSE intends to participate in this review. Are Government departments establishing the right balance between maintaining an in-house scientific capability and accessing external advice? 10. HSE’s in-house science and engineering capability (approximately 25% of staff numbers) is used to support the development of policy, to make regulatory judgements on the acceptability of risk controls in technically complex industrial environments and to investigate incidents arising from the failure of those controls. This in-house capability includes the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL), and in-house agency of HSE with 250 scientists and engineers who carry out high quality research and forensic investigation work. External expertise is used to meet short-term shortages, provide expertise for which HSE has no long term need, especially in the investigation of major incidents, and provide independent scientific advice on particularly complex issues. 11. HSE regularly reviews the use it makes of science. The most recent of these reviews reported to the HSE Board in 2004. This review looked both at the level of support HSE’s businesses required from science and the make-up of that science. It concluded that, whilst the overall proportion of resource dedicated to science was broadly right, HSE needed to increase its Social Science and Human Factors capabilities balanced by some reduction in its engineering capability. Changes in demand for support had already brought a substantial expansion of HSL’s social science group and a decline in its Fire, Explosives and Engineering groups. 12. The balance between the use of external and internal specialist expertise is also subject to scrutiny. Whilst in the past it would have been the norm for guidance on industry good practice to be prepared by HSE it is now becoming more usual for the work to be undertaken by an industry working group with input from HSE. 13. Traditionally HSE has made limited use of external science in its frontline activities because of the inability of external experts to make regulatory judgements. However, this position is being reviewed in a study that seeks to draw on the experience of other government departments and private industry organisations. 14. As well as using external expertise directly, HSE’s specialists maintain strong networks with industry and academia, exchanging information and research findings, and exploring ways of improving risk control methodologies.