Volume 11: Scientists after Southwood
4. The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC)
Establishment of SEAC

4.1 The Interim Report by the Tyrrell Committee, presented to Ministers in June 1989, noted that in relation to research on Spongiform Encephalopathies (SEs), coordination would be important in minimising duplication. It suggested that: 'A standing mechanism may be needed to oversee this cooperation and coordination beyond the lifetime of our Committee'. ¹ The Report also asked for guidance on whether the Committee was to have a continuing role in peer review and project coordination. ²

4.2 This prompted discussions within MAFF and DH on a proposed new expert group to replace the Tyrrell Committee. On 3 July 1989, Dr Hilary Pickles, Principal Medical Officer DH, minuted Sir Donald Acheson, the Chief Medical Officer, about the future of the Committee:

Some mechanism will be needed to continue to review BSE research being undertaken by a variety of disciplines and to watch out for gaps or overlaps. Also to review the situation in six months or so in the light of fresh evidence on spread of BSE and the outcome of research now in hand. ³

4.3 Realising the possible conflict between a committee set up to overview research and the various existing research bodies, the minute added:

Detailed consideration of individual projects will be for the research councils and research institutes. AFRC and MRC might not wish to be second guessed on BSE. ⁴

4.4 Sir Donald's response to this proposal followed an informal discussion with Sir Richard Southwood in November 1989. In a minute to Dr Pickles on 29 November 1989, Sir Donald noted that Sir Richard 'rightly points out that as the months go by, he is likely not to be completely up to date and without calling his experts again to go up, can no longer feel that he is in a position to give Ministers authoritative advice'. ⁵ Sir Richard expressed the view that a group under the chairmanship of Dr Tyrrell would be the best way forward. Sir Donald added that the new Committee, in addition to an overview of research, might also adopt a wider brief. He said 'it might be possible to rationalise the situation in such a way that David Tyrrell perhaps with slightly different groups gives advice not only on research but on the other aspects'. ⁶

4.5 On 7 December 1989, Dr Pickles minuted the CMO with her vision of 'a standing committee meeting as and when necessary and unlike its predecessors not producing reports for publication'. Dr Pickles thought it would be 'inappropriate for a group reporting to MAFF/DH and with a civil service secretariat to go into too much detail on research, but a general oversight role in research would be useful although not without political risks if funding does not match their recommendations'. ⁷

4.6 MAFF's views on the proposal for a new committee were similar to those developed in DH. On 20 December 1989, Mr Robert Lowson, Head of the Animal Health Division at MAFF, reported to Mrs Elizabeth Attridge, MAFF Under Secretary (Animal Health and Veterinary Group), that the views of DH officials corresponded closely with 'what the CVO has already suggested, namely that a small standing group of experts should be created to meet as necessary to respond to specific questions but should not be asked to produce reports for publication'. He noted that Mr Derek Andrews, Permanent Secretary of MAFF, had already agreed with his 'opposite numbers' in DH that a small group was needed to monitor and advise on the BSE position, and to follow up the Southwood and Tyrrell Reports. ⁸

4.7 In addition, Mr Andrews favoured the wider brief proposed by Sir Donald Acheson to include policy advice and endorsed the view that the Committee should not produce reports, but that 'it would be preferable to think in terms of updating reports at irregular intervals as necessary which would provide a summary statement of the Committee's work'. ⁹

4.8 In January 1990, both Mr John Gummer, the Minister of Agriculture, and Mr Kenneth Clarke, Secretary of State for Health, approved the establishment of the committee in the way envisaged by Mr Andrews and Sir Donald Acheson. ¹⁰

4.9 Following Ministerial approval, the Departments turned their attention to administrative practicalities. On 20 February 1990, Mr Andrews wrote to Sir Donald Acheson suggesting that 'for the sake of administrative simplicity', rather than wind up the existing Tyrrell Committee and create a new one, the existing body could simply be 'renamed and reconstituted'. ¹¹

4.10 On 3 April 1990, Mr Gummer announced, by way of written answer to a Parliamentary Question, that instead of winding up the Tyrrell Committee, it would be reconstituted as the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), with Dr David Tyrrell, Chairman of the existing Tyrrell Committee, as Chairman. ¹²