Our governance
Source: gov.uk (2025-10-06)

The Government Chemist Programme Expert Group (GCPEG) plays a key role in the governance of the GC programme by providing the necessary independent scrutiny.

The GCPEG membership is given below.

Paul Berryman

Chair of Government Chemist Programme Expert Group Paul is the Director of Berryman Food Science Ltd, which works closely with government and businesses. Current roles include Technical Adviser for the Health Food Manufacturers’ Association (HFMA) and Assessor for Innovate UK. Previous clients include the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Food Standards Agency (FSA), EY, PwC, Aldi, FERA and SGS Ltd. He is a visiting Professor at the University of Reading. Paul has an extensive career spanning more than 30 years in which he has worked at senior level with most of the top 100 global food companies. An Expert Witness and former Public Analyst, he holds the MChemA, an MBA and a PhD in Science Strategy. He was also CEO and Research Director at Leatherhead Food Research Ltd.

Simon Branch

Simon is Senior Director of Research, Development and Scientific Affairs at Herbalife. He has more than 30 years experience in food manufacturing, working in roles covering food analysis, regulatory and product innovation. He has sat on a number of Boards and committees including the Royal Society of Chemistry RSC Science and Technology Board. He is the current Chair of CampdenBRI’s Advisory Council.

John L Collins

John has a multi-disciplinary background from nuclear physics to biotechnology with experience in R&D, materials and product development, manufacturing and manufacturing technologies, international trade, and technical sales. Until 2020, John was Operations and Commercialisation Director at the UK’s national Synthetic Biology commercialisation facility, SynbiCITE, where he developed business support, mentoring, and funding for Engineering Biology start-ups . John works as an ethics adviser to companies and institutions, is a director of several companies and is a mentor to numerous start-up founders and business owners.

Jonathon Griffin

Jonathon began his career as a graduate scientist at Kent County Council, where he carried out classical and instrumental analysis of foods, agricultural samples, water and consumer goods. He completed the MChemA in 2002 and became a Public Analyst. He continues to work as Public Analyst and Technical Manager for Kent Scientific Services.

Kasia Kazimierczak

Kasia leads a multidisciplinary team covering marine science and shellfish hygiene, authenticity, allergens, foodborne viruses and surveillance at Food Standards Scotland (FSS). Kasia joined FSS from her previous role as a scientific advisor at FSA in Scotland after her academic research career. Kasia brings significant experience in food safety, having worked in foodborne disease, chemical safety and shellfish teams.

Chelvi Leonard

Chelvi is Policy Lead for Accreditation across government at the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in the Department for Business and Trade. Chelvi was previously at the FSA and was the UK representative at CEN and Codex meetings in the standardisation of analytical methods for food from 2009-2019. She now represents OPSS on the BSI committees on conformity assessment policy. OPSS has interest in analytical methods in food that may be adapted for non-food product safety testing.

Declan Naughton

Declan joined the Inflammation Research Group at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, where he spent 10 years before accepting posts at Bath University and the University of Brighton. He is currently Professor Emeritus of Biomolecular Sciences at Kingston University London with wide ranging research interests from food safety and nutrition to drug discovery and endocrinology. He was also Interim Dean for Research and Enterprise for the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education until 2024.

Brenda McRory

Brenda is a Technical Lead Officer at Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority, based at the port of Felixstowe. Brenda currently leads on imports of fishery products, and is also involved with the import of foodstuffs of non-animal origin, having qualified as an Environmental Health Officer and been part of, and managed, teams dealing with imported food ever since.

Sophie Rollinson

Sophie is the food science Lead in Defra’s Food and Farming Directorate and manages the Department’s food authenticity research Programme. Sophie brings expertise gained during her scientific career in government at Defra and FSA in the areas of food standards and labelling, and microbiological food safety.

Diane Turner

Diane is the Founder, Director and Senior Consultant of Anthias Consulting Ltd, an independent provider of analytical training and consultancy. Diane has developed methods for and given support to companies in most industries around the world for the past 20 years. She is a visiting fellow and consultant at The Open University, Immediate Past-President of the Royal Society of Chemistry Analytical Sciences, and Immediate Past-Chair of the Analytical Chemistry Trust Fund.

Bhavna Parmar

Bhavna is a Senior Scientific Advisor at the Food Standards Agency, in the Scientific Surveillance and Laboratory Policy team. Bhavna leads on the R&D programme on methods of analysis for authenticity, allergens and emerging risk and represents the UK on Codex and through BSI on various CEN and ISO standardisation committees. Bhavna joined the FSA working in policy, and later transitioned to science as a Senior Advisor. Prior to her civil service career, she gained experience in food testing and research laboratories, building a strong foundation in food science and regulation.

Gillian McEneff

Gillian is the Head of Testing Laboratories at the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), in the Department for Business and Trade, with responsibility for laboratory testing capabilities to support national consumer and construction product regulatory activity, and traceability for the UK’s legal metrology system. Gillian joined OPSS from her previous role as Lecturer in Analytical Chemistry at the University of West London. Her academic research at Kings College London and Dublin City University focused on analytical method development for trace drugs and explosives detection.

Jessica Merryfield

Jessica is the Head of Policy and Campaigns at the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI), is a Chartered Trading Standards Practitioner and a CTSI Trainer in Food Standards. Jessica has two decades’ experience in a variety of Trading Standards, Environmental Heath and regulatory-based roles across the public and private sector, including being the former chair of the Trading Standards East Midlands Food Standards and Allergens group. At CTSI, Jessica is leading on CTSI’s Policy and Campaigns work, including helping CTSI to drive change and build influence externally and championing the work of the Trading Standards profession and workforce.

Programme Expert Group Meeting records

The Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meets twice a year. Minutes of the meeting will be published once approved for transparency.

(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e7ce895e90e0706f24fdf6b/GC_PEG_Nov_18_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive_-_Final.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 29 November 2018 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5e7ce895e90e0706f24fdf6b/GC_PEG_Nov_18_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive_-_Final.pdf)

PDF, 451 KB, 9 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/606338478fa8f515b08c5718/GC_PEG_Apr_20_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 2 April 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/606338478fa8f515b08c5718/GC_PEG_Apr_20_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

PDF, 440 KB, 4 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6183fb0e8fa8f52985dd775c/GC_PEG_Oct_20_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting – 8 October 2020 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6183fb0e8fa8f52985dd775c/GC_PEG_Oct_20_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

PDF, 165 KB, 5 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/619eb5ccd3bf7f0557065244/GC_PEG_May_21_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting – 12 May 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/619eb5ccd3bf7f0557065244/GC_PEG_May_21_minutes_and_actions_non-attributive.pdf)

PDF, 346 KB, 5 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62d52034d3bf7f285bd5226d/GC_PEG_Nov_21_minutes_and_actions_NON-ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting – 1 November 2021 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/62d52034d3bf7f285bd5226d/GC_PEG_Nov_21_minutes_and_actions_NON-ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

PDF, 152 KB, 6 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6405d139d3bf7f25f9ac91ab/GC_PEG_May_22_minutes_and_actions_NON-ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 11 May 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6405d139d3bf7f25f9ac91ab/GC_PEG_May_22_minutes_and_actions_NON-ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

PDF, 180 KB, 5 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6405d17bd3bf7f557532cec7/GC_PEG_Nov_22_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 22 November 2022 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6405d17bd3bf7f557532cec7/GC_PEG_Nov_22_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

PDF, 201 KB, 8 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6578427a095987000d95de87/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 17 May 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6578427a095987000d95de87/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE.pdf)

PDF, 129 KB, 5 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfc49e49e17d00a56ffda4/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_Non_-_ATTRIBUTIVE_Dec_23_Amends_SECURED.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 4 December 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfc49e49e17d00a56ffda4/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_Non_-_ATTRIBUTIVE_Dec_23_Amends_SECURED.pdf)

PDF, 131 KB, 5 pages

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67975a2b3d65049f00a43575/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE_May_24.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 20 May 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67975a2b3d65049f00a43575/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE_May_24.pdf)

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(https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfc4e2dadf7616351e4de3/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE_Dec_24.pdf)

Government Chemist Programme Expert Group meeting - 2 December 2024 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68dfc4e2dadf7616351e4de3/GC_PEG_minutes_and_actions_NON_ATTRIBUTIVE_Dec_24.pdf)

PDF, 229 KB, 6 pages

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