The UK Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) is the personal adviser on science and technology-related activities and policies to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. They are also the head of the Government Office for Science.

The Government Chief Scientific Adviser has a significant public role as the government's most visible scientific expert. This was apparent, for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the GCSA would regularly appear in television briefings alongside senior government ministers.

Many individual government departments have departmental Chief Scientific Advisers (CSA).^[1] The GCSA is involved in recruiting CSAs, and meets regularly with CSAs to identify priorities, challenges and strategies.^[2] The adviser also usually serves as chair of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE).^[3]

List of Government Chief Scientific Advisers

• Sir Solly Zuckerman, 1964–1971
• Sir Alan Cottrell, 1971–1974
• Robert Press, 1974–1976
• Sir John Ashworth, 1977–1981
• Sir Robin Nicholson, 1982–1985
• Sir John Fairclough, 1986–1990
• Sir William Stewart, 1990–1995
• Sir Robert May, 1995–2000
• Sir David King, 2000–2008
• Sir John Beddington, 2008–2013
• Sir Mark Walport, 2013–2017
• Sir Chris Whitty (interim), 2017–2018
• Sir Patrick Vallance, 2018–2023
• Dame Angela McLean, 2023–present^[4]