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b'The announcement of a second England lockdown came following repeated warnings from the UK government\\u2019s scientific advisers about the spread of coronavirus. Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, scientific advice to the government has been highly visible, with Sir Patrick Vallance, the government\\u2019s chief scientific adviser, repeatedly sharing a platform with Boris Johnson. Members of the government\\u2019s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) continue to feature prominently across broadcast outlets and in coverage of the government\\u2019s handling of the crisis.\\n\\nOther forms of advice, including economic advice from the Treasury, have been far less transparent, often creating the impression that SAGE is the government\\u2019s main and most influential advisory body. And yet economic arguments have also featured prominently in the debate about whether and when to lockdown again.\\n\\nHow should science advice be combined with other kinds of evidence and presented to ministers? Does there need to be more transparency about the type of advice government is receiving and how it is using it? Does the prominence of SAGE undermine public understanding of other forms of evidence?\\n\\nTo discuss these questions, the IfG was delighted to welcome:\\n\\nProfessor John Edmunds, Professor of Infectious Disease Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and participant in SAGE\\nProfessor Susan Michie, Professor of Health Psychology at UCL and participant in SAGE and Independent SAGE\\nLord Macpherson of Earl\\u2019s Court, former Treasury Permanent Secretary (2005\\u201316)\\nNancy Hey, Executive Director of What Works Wellbeing\\n\\nThis event was chaired by Dr Catherine Haddon, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Government.'