Downing Street Says » Professor Nutt

Asked whether the Prime Minister thought that Alan Johnson had handled the situation correctly, the PMS said that people would have seen the letter sent by Alan Johnson to Professor Nutt. The Home Secretary had made the position very clear, emphasising the distinction between being an advisor and campaigning against Government policy.

The Government was extremely supportive of the work, not just of this body but other scientific bodies that give independent advice. It was a matter for the Home Secretary to make the decision that he had made. It would be regrettable if there were to be more resignations but this was an important point of principle that the Home Secretary thought needed to be set out.

Asked to confirm that the Prime Minister was happy with the way it had been handled, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister supported what the Home Secretary had done. The issue of drugs and young people was an important issue and that’s why the Home Secretary had been focussed on making sure that there were no inconsistent messages about the misuse of drugs.

Asked what the distinction was between expressing a view and campaigning against Government policy, the PMS said it was more to do with giving evidence-based scientific advice and at what stage that advice was then taken and it was for the Government to make a decision in the round on the back of that advice.

Once that advice had been accepted and a decision had been made then it was for the Government to go ahead with that policy. If it was then the case that any independent advisor was “campaigning against” that policy, it would be at odds with the concept of being an advisor and giving evidence-based advice.

Asked in what sense was giving a speech, which was what Professor Nutt was effectively doing, “campaigning against” Government policy, the PMS said that this was a decision that the Home Secretary had made and one that the Prime Minister supported.

Asked how the Prime Minister would react to the accusation that the Home Secretary and other Ministers were going to scientists with predetermined views and asking for evidence to back up those views, the PMS replied that the Prime Minister did not accept that. These bodies included distinguished people who had been carefully selected for the expertise they had. This was about a matter of principle rather than who the Government had on advisory committees.

Asked if advisors were still at liberty to publish the advice and make it public once the Government had taken a decision, the PMS said there were detailed terms of reference for independent advisors. In this situation, the Home Secretary had made a judgement about the advice Professor Nutt gave and in his opinion the fact that Professor Nutt was seen to campaign against Government policy.

Asked if Professor Nutt had stepped down yet as it still listed him as the Chairman on the Home Office website, the PMS said he did not know if Professor Nutt had formally stepped down, but the way in which he had been speaking over the weekend would suggest that he had accepted the decision.

Put that Lord Drayson had raised issues about Professor Nutt, the PMS said that Lord Drayson had tweeted about the situation and had asked for more information. Lord Drayson had then re-tweeted and had said that the Home Secretary had assured him of the importance both he and his department placed on the academic freedom of advisors.

Asked if Professor Nutt’s resignation showed a weakness in the system and the way in which independent advisors were brought into departments, the PMS said that no system was perfect but the Government was committed to the importance of having independent advice and evidence being presented by advisory bodies.

Asked if the Prime Minister played any role in asking Professor Nutt to consider his position, the PMS said that the Prime Minister did not play any role, but No10 had been aware of the situation.

1 Comment »

I definitely think that this was the right decision. Prof Nutt wanted the publicity badly and will undoubtedly be enjoying every minute of it!

http://thelabourpartyblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/home-secretary-acted-correctly.html
Comment by Malcolm Clarke — 4 Nov 2009 on 11:17 pm | Link

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» Monday, November 2, 2009

Professor Nutt

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