Transparency data: Council for Science and Technology: meeting minutes, June 2026

The following attendees were present at the meeting:

The following attendee sent their apologies:

The following guest attended the meeting:

Emran Mian, Permanent Secretary, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Aimee Smith, Government Chief Data Officer, Government Digital Service (GDS) 

Ollie Ilott, Director General of Emerging Technology and AI, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Imogen Schon, Deputy Director of AI Strategy, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

Dan Shah, Chief of Investment Planning and Strategy, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

1. Lord Browne opened the meeting, noted apologies, and welcomed Sarah Sharples to her first Council for Science and Technology meeting.

2. Government officials updated members on recent activity by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), including announcements around online safety, and updates on artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, the AI Hardware Plan, and government procurement for innovation.

3. Members discussed progress on the following projects:

members discussed the further development of CST’s advice on the chemical industry, focussing on cross-government coordination and the need for a leader trusted by both industry and government to deliver resilience in the sector

members noted the workshop convened with the Institute of Physics, following CST’s letter to the Prime Minister on photonics, and the ongoing engagement to inform the development of an industry roadmap

members agreed to scope advice on neurotechnology, drawing on analysis funded by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)

members updated on the CST project on AI. The project aims to provide a first tranche of advice on AI sovereignty, including whether the UK should develop a sovereign model (or models), before considering future topics