Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.

I hold the responsibility for DFID’s Science and Research. The DFID Chief Scientific Adviser has met with me twice during the period of January-March 2018. In addition, DFID’s Chief Scientific Adviser has also had two meetings with Minister of State Lord Bates during this period.

The Chief Scientific Adviser has met with the Secretary of State twice during the period of January-March 2018. The Chief Scientific Adviser continues to provide all Ministers with regular written submissions and briefings on DFID’s science and research activities.