Home Office Science Advisory Committee (HOSAC)

The HOSAC was established in 2003. Chaired by the Permanent Secretary, the group is formed of seven independent members, each nominated by the learned societies involved in the science and technology carried out by the Home Office. It also includes representatives of other key scientific advisory committees.

The group's key function is to provide the Permanent Secretary with independent advice on improving the quality of the science and research that informs strategic delivery and policy development.

21st century drugs and statistical science

In 2008, the committee conducted a study looking at cross-departmental drugs surveys used to advise Home Office policy teams on trends in illegal drug use. The aim of the study was to identify new information from the surveys, and to support the government's drug strategy Drugs: protecting families and communities (new window). 

This report draws on information from a workshop that was held on July 8, 2008, involving academics and representatives of government departments that conduct drugs-use surveys. 

The report generated from this workshop - 21st Century Drugs and Statistical science report (linked below) - will feed into future drugs research.

Surveys, Design and Statistics subcommittee

Created in 2007, this subcommittee was developed as part of the crime statistics review. It advises the Home Office on the use of development statistics and surveys.  Its terms of reference and minutes of a past meeting are available below.

Home Office Information, Systems and Technology Advisory Group

The chief scientific advisor and chief information officer have agreed that an advisory group should be established to undertake a support and challenge role on Home Office Information Management (IM) and Information Technology (IT) issues.

The group was established at the end of 2008. Its role will be to strengthen the assurance process for development and implementation of the Home Office Information, Systems and Technology (IST) Strategy.

The group's terms of reference and members list is linked below.

Date: Tue Sep 18 10:55:01 BST 2007

• HOSAC members and terms of reference (PDF file - 65kb)

  Members of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee and terms of reference

• HOSAC Minutes January 2008 (PDF file - 184kb)

  HOSAC Minutes January 2008

• Minutes of the HOSAC meeting held on 30 November 2007 (PDF file - 45kb)

  Minutes of the ninth meeting of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee

• Minutes of the HOSAC meeting held on 13 July 2007 (PDF file - 43kb)

  Minutes of the eighth meeting of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee

• Minutes of the HOSAC meeting held on 21 November 2006 (PDF file - 48kb)

  Minutes of the seventh meeting of the Home Office Science Advisory Committee

• SDSSC - Members and Terms of Reference (PDF file - 72kb)

  The list of members and TOR.

• Minutes of SDSSC meeting April 2008 (PDF file - 223kb)

  These minutes were taken at the 15 April 2008 meeting.

• Minutes of SDSSC meeting December 2007 (PDF file - 206kb)

  Minutes of SDSSC meeting December 2007

• Minutes of SDSSC meeting 23 October 2007 (PDF file - 192kb)

  Minutes of the October meeting.

• Minutes of the SDSSC meeting (PDF file - 186kb)

  Minutes of the 10 June 2008 subcommittee meeting.

• SDSSC meeting (September 2008) (PDF file - 586kb)

  Minutes of the September 23, 2008 SDSSC meeting.

• Sampling hard-to-reach populations in the absence of a suitable sampling-frame (PDF file - 309kb)

  A helpful guide to researchers and policy makers who may wish to investigate the attitudes and experiences of hard-to-reach populations.

• 21st Century Drugs and Statistical Science (PDF file - 287kb)

  This report draws on information from a July 2008 workshop of academics and government departments on surveys studying drug use.

• Terms of reference and members list of the Information, Systems and Technology Advisory Group (PDF file - 64kb)

  TOR and members list for the new group.

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