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. No permanently funded standing scientific body maintains biothreat and pandemic readiness, horizon-scanning and rehearsed advice between crises, and 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 lag between a threat emerging and credible advice reaching decision-makers.

A permanently funded standing scientific advisory network, open-recruited, diverse and inclusive of the devolved nations, 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, and the 2026 register refresh with open recruitment under exploration is a live window to lock in permanent infrastructure.