OGP UK National Action Plan 2013-15 Commitment progress update ...

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Sep 30, 2014 - Overall progress is in line with expectations. Sciencewise has proven particularly effective in engaging
OGP UK National Action Plan 2013-15 Commitment progress update Commitment title Sciencewise Lead department(s)

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Civil society organisation(s) involved in implementation to date

Democratic Society

Report date

30 September 2014

Overall commitment status

In progress

Overall progress against commitment Sciencewise continues to be successful in bringing the public into the development of policy involving complex scientific and technological issues. Overall progress is in line with expectations. Sciencewise has proven particularly effective in engaging at more senior levels across government and driving forward new proactive initiatives on data and regulation. Work is underway to evaluate the programme, identify new initiatives to engage CSOs in public dialogue and to develop digital mechanisms to open up dialogue to a wider public audience. Progress against milestones/activities 1. The open policy making commitments made by the UK government now provide an opportunity for Sciencewise to build on its experience in the very heart of government policy making. The Sciencewise commitments will commence in early 2014 with the aim of piloting and evaluating throughout 2014 and embedding during 2015.

On track

Sciencewise is continuing to support the engagement with the public on the development of policy involving science and technology through a combination of measures. These include: 1. Support to government departments and agencies for dialogue with the public in areas of policy involving science and technology. Ongoing dialogues cover a wide range of departments and issues, with over 20 live projects receiving support from Sciencewise currently underway. New public dialogue projects in this period involve the public in policy issues such as: use of patient data in health research; nanotechnologies; UK food supply challenges; and nuclear power design assessment. 2. Sciencewise support has helped to ensure that new policies involving science and technology have benefitted from an

OGP UK National Action Plan 2013-15 Commitment progress update

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understanding of the views and values of the public. Specific examples over the last period where the policy refers to the involvement of the public include mitochondrial transfer, radioactive waste management, geological disposal siting process and stratified medicine. An independent evaluation of the activities and impacts of the Sciencewise programme has been commissioned. This will evaluate the Sciencewise activities piloted in 2013 and 2014, and will enable further activity to be focussed on achieving the maximum impact in terms of encouraging wider involvement of the public in policy development. Sciencewise continues to work with the departments and the stakeholders involved to investigate ways to engage with the public and to create a space for the public views and values to be considered as government develops its thinking and policy on the complex cross-departmental issues of data and regulation. Taking into account the complexity of driving forward such cross department initiatives, progress is in line with expectations. On digital techniques, Sciencewise has successfully engaged across departments to ensure that opportunities for the use of digital are considered as part of the public dialogue. A number of new programme-wide initiatives are being planned for 2015, and plans are being developed for a workshop with digital engagement specialists. Sciencewise is developing plans to engage with CSO network organisations to explore what it would mean for CSOs to become more involved with public dialogue in science and technology. An initial workshop is planned in 2014. In September 2014, Sciencewise achieved 6th place in the Open Government Partnership new international Open Government Awards under this year's theme of Citizen Engagement.

More information about this commitment and previous progress updates are available on the OGP website.