Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, for how many months since 2010 the role of Chief Scientific Adviser for his Department has been vacant.

At the DCMS, any scientific needs have been met by a Scientific and Research Advisory Committee since 2010. However the DCMS is currently in the process of reorganising this function and is soon to form a Science Advisory Council (SAC) in line with other Government Departments. This will establish how science needs can be met in a way that is proportionate to the size of the department. The DCMS currently has a Deputy CSA at Grade 5 Senior Civil Service level who represents the department with support from a principal scientific officer.