Media muzzle won’t silence scientists, says Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has responded to concerns from science writers that changes to the civil service code will have a negative impact on the public understanding of science.

In a letter to Fiona Fox, chief executive of the Science Media Centre, dated 27 April, Maude says that he “would not envisage” changes to the code requiring civil servants to obtain ministerial authorisation before they can contact  the media having a detrimental impact on government scientists’ media engagement. The government encourages government scientists to contribute their scientific expertise to public dialogue, the letter says. 

The letter also makes clear that public servants in non-departmental public bodies, such as the research councils, are not bound by the civil service code.