Voters to grill MPs as Evidence Week returns to Westminster

MPs will face direct questioning from voters on how they use evidence to make decisions, as Parliament hosts its annual Evidence Week from Monday 3 November.

The initiative, led by independent charity Sense about Science, aims to strengthen scrutiny of the data and research underpinning major policies — from cancer screening to electric vehicles — at a time when public expectations are rising.

The week begins with an unusual “reverse” committee session in which members of the public will quiz some of Parliament’s most senior select committee chairs. Among the concerns they have submitted: how MPs can challenge government decisions made by artificial intelligence, whether politicians understand evidence about social media and children’s wellbeing, and how misleading claims in Parliament can be swiftly corrected.

The questions were gathered by community partners including Mumsnet, MoneySavingExpert and youth democracy group Shout Out UK.

Recent polling demonstrates the appetite for more transparency. According to an Ipsos survey in April, 74% of the public say it is important that government show all the evidence behind major decisions — a sharp rise since 2022.

Throughout the week, MPs and peers have signed up for a series of 10-minute briefings with researchers on subjects including hidden water pollution, drug development, and methods used to calculate tax liabilities.

Parliamentary staff will also receive training from organisations including the Office for National Statistics, FullFact and the House of Commons Library.

Sense about Science director Tracey Brown said MPs do not need to be scientists, but must be increasingly confident interrogating data.

“In a world of major challenges, radical innovation and data, they clearly need to know science,” she said. “They need to be ready to evaluate evidence critically — from free school meals statistics to methods for carbon capture.”

She added that voters are urging MPs to find time in their schedules to get briefed on national and local issues.

Select committee chairs participating include Chi Onwurah (Science, Innovation and Technology), Bill Esterson (Energy Security and Net Zero), Caroline Dinenage (Culture, Media and Sport), and Helen Hayes (Education). Senior figures including UK Research and Innovation chief executive Professor Sir Ian Chapman and the House of Commons Librarian, Grant Hill-Cawthorne, will advise on how evidence flows into government.

Concerns 

Mumsnet’s Head of Communications Rhiannon Evans said the platform’s users are keen to understand the research behind policy.

“Evidence Week is a great way to raise Mumsnet users’ concerns — on everything from healthcare to restorative justice,” she said.

The first Evidence Week was held in 2018 in response to growing public interest in the justification behind policy decisions and has since inspired similar initiatives in other legislatures including the EU Parliament.

Sense about Science argues that evidence-based scrutiny is essential as emerging technologies — including artificial intelligence — transform public services.

More details, including the full programme of briefings, are available here.