Darwin Expert Committee

Defra, like other Departments, has reviewed its public bodies (as announced on 14th October 2010) and work is now underway to implement the reforms of these bodies. As part of the review it was recommended that the Darwin Advisory Committee (DAC) should be transformed from a Non Departmental Public Body to a scientific expert committee. As a result, from the 24th January 2011 the DAC was reconstituted as the Darwin Expert Committee (DEC).

DRAFT Terms of Reference

The following Terms of Reference are in draft and will be ratified at the first Darwin Expert Committee meeting.

The Secretary of State has been authorised to give financial assistance to the Darwin Initiative by Article 2 of the Financial Assistance for Environmental Purposes Order 1993 (S.I. 1993 No. 1062) which was made under Section 153(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.The DEC helps to ensure the quality and appropriateness of Defra science and its use by providing strategic advice on the principles and objectives of the Darwin Initiative grant programme in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

To achieve this it will:

• provide independent advice to the Secretary of State via Defra officials on applications for funding under the Initiative, taking into account the objectives of the Initiative and any other considerations the Secretary of State may from time to time deem relevant.
• monitor the progress of the Darwin Initiative and evaluate the achievement of its objectives.
• report to the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA); Chairs of expert committees will meet annually with the CSA and provide an annual summary of the work of the committee to the Science Advisory Council (SAC) for Defra's Annual Report.
• support the CSA as appropriate (and if willing) during emergencies.
• abide by the spirit of the Government Office for Science's Code of Practice for Scientific Advisory Bodies.

Membership

Darwin Expert Committee Membership
Members' names	Term of appointment
Professor David Macdonald (chairman)	2003 - 2012
Ms Kerry ten-Kate	2003 - 2012
Dr Johannes Vogel	2005 - 2011
Dr Karen Laurenson	2005 - 2011
Professor Nigel Leader-Williams	2006 - 2012
Ms Janet Barber	2006 - 2012
Mrs Rosalind Aveling	2006 - 2012
Dr Brendan Godley	2009-2012
Dr Mary Gibby	2009-2012
Professor Monique Simmonds	2009-2012
Mr Alistair Gammell	2009-2012
Ms Joanna Elliott	2009-2012
Ex-Officio members
Dr Vin Fleming (JNCC)	from 2003
Representative tbc (DFID)	from 2010
Martin Brasher (Defra)	from 2006
Heather Christie (FCO)	from 2009

Defra provides the Secretariat to the Committee. Presently the team has three members - Eric Blencowe, Ana Delgado and Jennifer Beschizza.

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