Legislative science advice in Europe: the case for international comparative research

Caroline Kenny,Carla-Leanne Washbourne,Jason J Blackstock,Chris Tyler

doi:10.1057/palcomms.2017.30

Caroline Kenny, Carla-Leanne Washbourne + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1057/palcomms.2017.30

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Abstract

This article provides an introduction to science advisory structures in elected legislatures; an arena of public decision-making which, although critical to the healthy functioning of democratic societies, has been largely neglected in recent discussions of science advice. The article begins by contrasting the functions and operating environments of legislatures with those of executive branches of governments, examining how these differences shape the requirements of their respective science advisory structures. A study of three national legislative science advice units within Europe is then presented, revealing a range of advisory structures and practices. These variations in approach suggest different underpinning conceptions about both why science advice is being provided, and how science advice can most effectively influence a legislature’s activities. Given these differences, and our currently limited comparative understanding of the influence of scientific knowledge across different spheres of public decision-making, we argue that more attention needs to be focused on the difficult challenge of mapping and understanding legislative science advisory structures via a comparative international study. We close by arguing that an international comparative exercise of this type could significantly improve our understanding of the different influences science advisory practices and structures can have on the function of our democratic societies’ deliberative bodies. This article is published as part of a collection on scientific advice to governments.

Highlights

The importance of science advice—broadly defined here as practices for mobilizing scientific knowledge in support of public decision-making—is widely accepted (OECD, 2015)
The study presented in this paper aims to contribute to this collective learning process by documenting and analysing the current structures and practices of legislative science advice— a domain of public decision-making currently underrepresented in the current science advice literature
The first important observation is the notably different requirements for science advice that exist in legislative contexts relative to those within executive environments (Section “Science advice in legislatures versus executives”)

Summary

Introduction

The importance of science advice—broadly defined here as practices for mobilizing scientific knowledge in support of public decision-making—is widely accepted (OECD, 2015). Governance organizations at all scales, local through international, have increased their commitment to informing policy decisions with the best available scientific knowledge. This has in turn generated a steady expansion in the number and types of established science advisory structures. Throughout this period, our understanding of science advice has steadily improved, in the context of the executive branches of governments (see for example Doubleday and Wilsdon, 2013; Spruijt et al, 2014; Wilsdon et al, 2014). One arena of public decision-making critical to the functioning of healthy democracies that has been largely overlooked in the recent expansion and study of science advice is that of legislatures (Tyler, 2013; Spruijt et al, 2014)

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