While looking for something else I chanced upon the Royal Society's webpage documenting its official records. On a whim I looked at the record for the minutes of the Science Policy Advisory Group and was surprised to see this:
;)
Although the society's archives are not public - it is a private organisation, at least in form - the statutes give the Fellows a right of access.
Except, it seems, these most important ones; the ones relating to the Society's involvement in public policy, the ones behind the society's public statements on important matters, where it uses the authority of the Fellows' standing in society in support of one public policy objective or another.
Intriguing, I'm sure you will agree.
The Science Policy Centre is directed by a body called the Science Policy Advisory Group. When I first came across this body while researching Nullius in Verba it was headed by Sir John Krebs, a man who needs no introduction to most BH readers, being the head of the Committee on Climate Change's Adaptation Subcommittee.
Today, the chairmanship has been taken over by another familiar figure in the shape of Geoffrey Boulton. And do take a look at the full list of members.
Professor Geoffrey Boulton FRS (Chair) Regius Professor of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Edinburgh
Sir Roy Anderson FRS Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College
Dr Philip Campbell Editor-in-Chief, Nature
Professor Richard Catlow FRS Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Faculty, University College London
Mr Clive Cookson Science Editor, Financial Times
Dame Anne Dowling FREng FRS Professor of Mechanical Engineering & Head, Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge
Dr Matthew Freeman FRS Head of Division of Cell Biology, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge
Dr Julie Maxton Executive Director, The Royal Society
Professor Susan Owens OBE FBA Professor of Environment and Policy, University of Cambridge
Professor John Pethica FRS Physical Secretary and Vice-President, Royal Society (ex officio)
Professor Martyn Poliakoff FRS Foreign Secretary and Vice-President, Royal Society (ex officio)
Dr David Roblin Formerly Senior Vice President, Head of Research and Site Director, Sandwich Laboratories, Pfizer Limited
Professor Geoffrey Smith FRS Head, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge
Dame Jean Thomas FRS Biological Secretary and Vice-President, Royal Society (ex officio)
Baron Willis of Knaresborough Former Chair, House of Commons Science & Technology Committee
I half expected to see Phil Jones' name on there.