Alex Allan
Encyclopedia
Alexander Allan is the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee of the United Kingdom and Head of Intelligence Assessment. He is the son of Robert Allan, Baron Allan of Kilmahew
.
, and in 1972 obtained a BA (Hons) in Mathematics from Clare College, Cambridge
. In 1973 he obtained an MSc in Statistics, University College London
.
On 17 October 2006, Allan submitted oral evidence to the Constitutional Affairs Committee. He was questioned on the 're-organisation of the centre of the Department' (for constitutional affairs) which he stated in his annual report. Allan was asked what he thought were the key changes he had made to the department since his two years in the post. He stated that the key changes to the Department for Constitutional affairs were structural. Allan admitted the department faced big challenges and that there was a lot still to be done. Allan was also questioned over the 'chaos' of the Oracle system (a computer system used by the department).
On 6 February 2007 Allan attended a meeting with the management board for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). His duty was to brief the board about the Department for Constitutional Affairs' approach to information rights and the ICO itself. In this meeting Allan recognised inadequate pay as being a key issue in the ICO and across the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
On 4 July 2007, before the Constitutional Affairs Committee, Allan was asked whether he had written an article for MP Vera Baird in the Times. He denied the accusation.
and Head of Intelligence Assessment. Allan's role is to collect intelligence from the Security Service, MI5
, the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, GCHQ and other sources of intelligence, and present them to ministers as threats develop. He has access to the Prime Minister at all times and also top secret US and UK intelligence reports.
(a band of whom he is a dedicated fan) song Box of Rain
were quoted at the end of the service sheet of her funeral:
He is responsible for a Grateful Dead
lyric and song finder website.
Allan windsurfed to work in a suit and bowler hat down the Thames during a train strike. He published his personal details on his own website, including his address, telephone number and details of family and friends, which was described by a security official as "a serious breach". Allan lists bridge and computers as his interests.
David Miliband MP briefly mentioned Alex Allan and his illness in Parliament (17 July 2008):
On October 13, 2008, he reportedly responded to an enquiry concerning a personal bookplate
(designed by Anne Jope). The unusual bookplate depicts a skeletal figure operating a computer.
Nearly a year later (6 June 2009), Allan was seen in public. No explanation has been given of what happened to him.
Robert Allan, Baron Allan of Kilmahew
Robert Alexander Allan, Baron Allan of Kilmahew DSO, OBE was a British Conservative politician.Allan was Member of Parliament for Paddington South between 1951 and 1966...
.
Early life
Between 1964–1969 he attended Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, and in 1972 obtained a BA (Hons) in Mathematics from Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
. In 1973 he obtained an MSc in Statistics, University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
Civil Service career
- 1973 to 1992 - Allan had various appointments in Customs & ExciseHer Majesty's Customs and ExciseHM Customs and Excise was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government in the UK. It was responsible for the collection of Value added tax , Customs Duties, Excise Duties, and other indirect taxes such as Air Passenger Duty, Climate Change Levy, Insurance Premium Tax, Landfill Tax and...
and HM TreasuryHM TreasuryHM Treasury, in full Her Majesty's Treasury, informally The Treasury, is the United Kingdom government department responsible for developing and executing the British government's public finance policy and economic policy...
, aside from two years as a freelance computer consultant in Australia (1983–1985).
- 1992 to 1997 - he was the principal private secretaryPrincipal Private Secretary to the Prime MinisterThe Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister is a senior official of the British Civil Service who acts as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The holder of this office was formerly the head of the Prime Minister's Office, during Tony Blair's...
to the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
(John MajorJohn MajorSir John Major, is a British Conservative politician, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990–1997...
to April 1997, and Tony BlairTony BlairAnthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
to Aug 1997).
- 1997 to 1999 - he was the British High CommissionerHigh CommissionerHigh Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
to Australia.
- 1999 to 2000 - he was e-EnvoyOffice of the e-EnvoyThe Office of the e-Envoy was set up by Tony Blair in 1999 and was replaced by the E-Government Unit in September 2004. A few senior members of the office joined gov3 an ICT consultancy firm for governments.The first e-Envoy was Alex Allan...
for the British Government (succeeded by Andrew PinderAndrew PinderAndrew Pinder, CBE, lead the Office of the e-Envoy from 2000 to 2004, reporting directly to Tony Blair.He held the post of Chairman of Becta from January 2006 to...
).
- 2001 to 2004 - he moved to Western Australia, where he worked on a range of IT, government and international issues.
Permanent Secretary of the Department for Constitutional Affairs
Allan was the first Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, having been the last Permanent Secretary of the Department for Constitutional Affairs from which it was created, together with the addition of HM Prison Service and the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, which were taken from the Home Office. Allan served in both of these roles from 1 August 2004 to 15 November 2007. An historical attribute of the role of Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and its predecessor departments (which included the Lord Chancellor's Department) is that it carries with it the role of Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, an ancient Office, which entails responsibility for overseeing the creation of Letters Patent under the Great Seal, discharged by the Crown Office, itself based in the House of Lords. The Clerk of the Crown in Chancery also has various other responsibilities, including the State Opening of Parliament, and the Prorogation of Parliament. Until the role of the Lord Speaker was carved out of that of the Lord Chancellor, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery occupied one of Parliament's most prestigious rooms, adjacent to those of the Lord Chancellor. Allan was the last Permanent Secretary and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery to enjoy this splendid room, which he agreed to surrender to the House Authorities so that they could provide suitable accommodation for the newly created Lord Speaker. The only alternative would have been for his political master, the Lord Chancellor, to have given up his room.On 17 October 2006, Allan submitted oral evidence to the Constitutional Affairs Committee. He was questioned on the 're-organisation of the centre of the Department' (for constitutional affairs) which he stated in his annual report. Allan was asked what he thought were the key changes he had made to the department since his two years in the post. He stated that the key changes to the Department for Constitutional affairs were structural. Allan admitted the department faced big challenges and that there was a lot still to be done. Allan was also questioned over the 'chaos' of the Oracle system (a computer system used by the department).
On 6 February 2007 Allan attended a meeting with the management board for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). His duty was to brief the board about the Department for Constitutional Affairs' approach to information rights and the ICO itself. In this meeting Allan recognised inadequate pay as being a key issue in the ICO and across the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
On 4 July 2007, before the Constitutional Affairs Committee, Allan was asked whether he had written an article for MP Vera Baird in the Times. He denied the accusation.
Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC)
On 15 November 2007 he was appointed Chairman of the Joint Intelligence CommitteeJoint Intelligence Committee
The Joint Intelligence Committee is a nodal government agency in several countries, responsible for the internal and external security apparatus of the respective nations.* Joint Intelligence Committee * Joint Intelligence Committee...
and Head of Intelligence Assessment. Allan's role is to collect intelligence from the Security Service, MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
, the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, GCHQ and other sources of intelligence, and present them to ministers as threats develop. He has access to the Prime Minister at all times and also top secret US and UK intelligence reports.
Personal life
Allan married artist Katie Clemson in 1978. She died on 23 November 2007. Lyrics from the Grateful DeadGrateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
(a band of whom he is a dedicated fan) song Box of Rain
Box of Rain
"Box of Rain" is a song by the Grateful Dead, from their 1970 album American Beauty. The song was composed by bassist Phil Lesh and lyricist Robert Hunter, and sung by Lesh...
were quoted at the end of the service sheet of her funeral:
- And it's just a box of rain, or a ribbon for your hair
- Such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there
He is responsible for a Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
lyric and song finder website.
Allan windsurfed to work in a suit and bowler hat down the Thames during a train strike. He published his personal details on his own website, including his address, telephone number and details of family and friends, which was described by a security official as "a serious breach". Allan lists bridge and computers as his interests.
Illness
On 3 July 2008 it was reported that Allan was unconscious and seriously ill in hospital after he collapsed at his home earlier in the week. Government sources said that there was no sign of foul play. It has been suggested by the media that Allan was poisoned by one of several organisations, including Al Qaeda, or the Russia Government, but this was dismissed by New Scotland Yard. On 10 July 2008 a Cabinet Office spokesman said Allan had regained consciousness but for now will remain in hospital to regain his strength.David Miliband MP briefly mentioned Alex Allan and his illness in Parliament (17 July 2008):
- Very briefly, I would like to put it on record that I have known Alex Allan for 11 years now, and a couple of hon. Members referred to his recent illness and passed on their best wishes to him. I am delighted to say that he will be able to recognise the warmth and strength of that feeling when it is passed on to him in hospital. I am sure that we all wish him a speedy and full recovery from his illness.
On October 13, 2008, he reportedly responded to an enquiry concerning a personal bookplate
Bookplate
A bookplate, also known as ex-librīs [Latin, "from the books of..."], is usually a small print or decorative label pasted into a book, often on the inside front cover, to indicate its owner...
(designed by Anne Jope). The unusual bookplate depicts a skeletal figure operating a computer.
Nearly a year later (6 June 2009), Allan was seen in public. No explanation has been given of what happened to him.
Offices held
External links
- Whitegum.com - personal website