If you would like to attend a COM or COC meeting as an observer please contact the Secretariat for further information or complete an application form.
Completed application forms should be sent to the Secretariat.
Ms Sue Kennedy
Administrative Secretary
Health Protection Agency
Centre for Radiation & Chemical Hazards
Chemical Hazards & Poisons Division (Main Office)
Chilton, Didcot, Oxon
Ox11 0RQ
Tel: +44 (0)1235 822836
Fax: +44 (0)1235 833891
Email: sue.kennedy@hpa.org.uk
Introduction to Open Meetings
The purpose of committee meetings being held in open session is to increase the visibility and transparency of the Committee’s work and to enable interested parties to hear the Committee’s discussions. The meetings are not intended to provide a forum for independent observers or pressure groups to present their views on a subject to the committee.
If an interested party wishes to submit information relevant to a topic for consideration by the Committee, they are welcome to do so but it should be submitted in writing to the Secretariat at least 10 days before the meetings. The Secretariat will discuss with the Chairman the most appropriate way to present the information to the Committee and the Chairman’s decision will be final.
Information concerning the dates of forthcoming COC and COM meetings and topics are available on the corresponding websites. Most meetings are held at the Department of Health, Skipton House, where access to the building is controlled. Information concerning COC and COM meetings can be obtained through the relevant COM or COC website.
Applications to Attend a Meeting as an Observer
Those wishing to observe can apply to attend either any forthcoming meeting or for a specific subject. If you are interested in a specific subject, the Secretariat will tell you when we expect it to be discussed and will contact you as soon as the agenda is confirmed.
The application form asks whether you represent any group (e.g. manufacturers, trade associations, interest groups with specific concerns on public health or the environment). This information will be provided to Committee members and recorded in the minutes of the meeting.
We will accept enquiries by email or phone/fax. Applications will be dealt with by post to ensure that a valid postal address is obtained for proof of identity. The closing date for completed application forms to be received is one week before the relevant meeting.
Selection of Observers
The Committee meetings rooms have space for a limited number of observers. The maximum is about ten for any one meeting, depending on location. Priority will be given to those who have an interest in a specific subject. Observers will then be selected in order of priority depending on specific interest(s) notified and the order of receipt of applications. In the event of oversubscription, multiple representatives from a single organisation will be limited.
After the closing date for applications, the Secretariat will write to you with an invitation or an explanation if attendance at this meeting is not possible. The invitation will include all necessary information on Committee procedures and admission to the building.
Contributions from Observers
Observers should not attempt to participate in the committee’s discussion. Observers who have submitted information to the Committee in advance of the meeting may be invited to provide further explanation or to make brief comments at the discretion of the Chairman.
Media Enquiries
Representatives of the media should contact the Department of Health Press Office. Any member of the media attending as an observer will be accompanied by a member of the Department of Health’s Press Office. Electronic recording devices are not permitted.
Reserved business and Unpublished Data
Some information may not be in the public domain at the time of discussion. Whenever possible discussions will take place in open session but sometimes part or all of an item may need to be discussed in closed session as reserved business and observers will be requested to leave the meeting. Such items will generally be discussed at the beginning or end of the agenda.
Publication of Agendas, Papers Statements & Minutes
The agenda will be published on the COM or COC website about two weeks before the meeting and any items of reserved business will be identified. After the meeting, papers discussed will be published on the relevant website, with the exception of annexes containing certain types of unpublished data. A record of key points made by observers who have submitted information to the Committee in advance and who have been asked to provide comment will be included in the minutes and the final decision on the wording of the minutes will be made by the Committee.
A note of the meeting will be published on the COC or COM website about two weeks after the meeting. The draft minutes or statements (as working papers) of reserved business may need to be temporarily withheld in accordance with the Code of Practice on Openness (which can be downloaded from both the COC and COM website). The final version of minutes and statements will be published when agreed by the committee.