No standing scientific advisory infrastructure between emergencies

SAGE convenes only during emergencies and is assembled ad hoc, a failing the Inquiry criticised in Modules 1 and 2. Government committed to eight standing expert advisory groups and to refreshing GO-Science's expert register in 2026, with open recruitment merely 'explored' subject to resources. There is still no permanently funded standing scientific body maintaining biothreat/pandemic readiness, horizon-scanning and rehearsed advice between crises; NERVTAG and the register are narrow and under-resourced.

In 2020 the UK stood up scientific advice from a cold start. A standing mechanism that continuously maintains expertise, models scenarios and challenges assumptions would cut the fatal lag between a threat emerging and credible advice reaching decision-makers.

A permanently funded standing scientific advisory network - open-recruited, diverse, devolved-inclusive - with a between-crisis remit for horizon-scanning, scenario modelling and red-teaming, backed by compensation for participating institutions.

// Build now: First artefact: philanthropically funded standing shadow network (Independent-SAGE precedent) publishing horizon scans, scenario models and red-team exercises.

Pandemic-readiness advice still starts from cold, but government is refreshing the expert register in 2026 and exploring open recruitment now, a live window to lock in permanent standing infrastructure.