Michael Scholar
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Charles Scholar KCB (born 3 January 1942) is President of St John's College, Oxford
. He was educated at St Olave's Grammar School
, St John's College, Cambridge
(BA
Classics and Moral Sciences 1964, MA
, PhD
, Research Fellow, Honorary Fellow 1999). He held positions at Harvard University
, the University of California, Berkeley
, and the University of Leicester
.
He joined HM Treasury
in 1969 and was appointed Assistant Principal in 1970. He was Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury
1974-76. From 1979 until 1981 he worked for Barclays Bank. He was then Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
(1981–83), Under Secretary HM Treasury (1983–87), and Deputy Secretary (1987–93). He was Permanent Secretary
of the Welsh Office
1993-96 and of the Department of Trade and Industry 1996-2001.
He became President of St John's College, Oxford on 1 August 2001. He is by incorporation
a Master of Arts
and Doctor of Philosophy
of the University of Oxford
. He is also a Pro-Vice-Chancellor
, Chairman of the Conference of Colleges
, and Chairman of the Oxford University Careers Service, and a member of the Audit Committee. He is also a non-executive Director of Legal and General Investment Management (Holdings). In 1996 he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
and 14 July 2003 he became an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University
. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Glamorgan
in 1999. He was appointed Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in 1991 and advanced to KCB in 1999.
Sir Michael is a keen musician and received the Associateship Diploma of the Royal College of Organists
in 1965. He was Honorary Secretary of the Royal Opera House
from 1988 to 1993.
Sir Michael's son, Tom Scholar
is a civil servant who was appointed Chief of Staff at 10 Downing Street when Gordon Brown
became Prime Minister
. He has since returned to HM Treasury
as a managing director and is the government's representative on the board of Northern Rock
following its nationalization
.
On 1 April 2008, Sir Michael became the 3 day-a-week non-executive chairman of the new UK Statistics Authority
(UKSA), through which the National Statistician
is accountable to Parliament. The board oversees the Office for National Statistics
, following the "independence" which it obtained from ministers in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007
. It also has a duty to assess all UK government statistics from other departments. Following Gordon Brown
's announcement of new constitutional arrangements for public appointments, Sir Michael became, on 18 July 2007, the first such nominee to appear for vetting before the House of Commons Treasury Committee and to have his nomination subject to confirmation by the House.
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
. He was educated at St Olave's Grammar School
St Olave's Grammar School
St Olave's and St Saviour's Grammar School is a super-selective boys' secondary school in Orpington, Greater London, England. The school is consistently one of the top achieving state schools in the UK and it was The Sunday Times State School of the Year in 2008...
, St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
(BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
Classics and Moral Sciences 1964, MA
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
, PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, Research Fellow, Honorary Fellow 1999). He held positions at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, and the University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
.
He joined HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM 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...
in 1969 and was appointed Assistant Principal in 1970. He was Private Secretary to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
1974-76. From 1979 until 1981 he worked for Barclays Bank. He was then Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The 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...
(1981–83), Under Secretary HM Treasury (1983–87), and Deputy Secretary (1987–93). He was Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
of the Welsh Office
Welsh Office
The Welsh Office was a department in the Government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Wales. It was established in April 1965 to execute government policy in Wales, and was headed by the Secretary of State for Wales, a post which had been created in October 1964...
1993-96 and of the Department of Trade and Industry 1996-2001.
He became President of St John's College, Oxford on 1 August 2001. He is by incorporation
Incorporation (academic)
Incorporation is a university academic practice—particularly at the University of Oxford where it goes back at least to 1516—of awarding a degree based on the student having an equivalent degree from another university....
a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
and Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
of the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He is also a Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
In a university, an assistant to a vice-chancellor is called a pro-vice-chancellor . These are sometimes teaching academics who take on additional responsibilities. Some of these responsibilities are in charge of Administration, Research and Development, Academic and Education affairs...
, Chairman of the Conference of Colleges
Colleges of the University of Oxford
The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...
, and Chairman of the Oxford University Careers Service, and a member of the Audit Committee. He is also a non-executive Director of Legal and General Investment Management (Holdings). In 1996 he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
and 14 July 2003 he became an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Glamorgan
University of Glamorgan
The University of Glamorgan is a university based in Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales with campuses in Treforest, Glyntaff, Merthyr Tydfil, Tyn y Wern and Cardiff...
in 1999. He was appointed Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath in 1991 and advanced to KCB in 1999.
Sir Michael is a keen musician and received the Associateship Diploma of the Royal College of Organists
Royal College of Organists
The Royal College of Organists or RCO, is a charity and membership organisation based in the United Kingdom, but with members around the world...
in 1965. He was Honorary Secretary of the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
from 1988 to 1993.
Sir Michael's son, Tom Scholar
Tom Scholar
Thomas Whinfield Scholar, known commonly as Tom Scholar, is a British Civil Servant who is a director of the nationalised bank, Northern Rock and was previously Chief of Staff for Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street...
is a civil servant who was appointed Chief of Staff at 10 Downing Street when Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
became Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. He has since returned to HM Treasury
HM Treasury
HM 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...
as a managing director and is the government's representative on the board of Northern Rock
Northern Rock
Northern Rock plc is a British bank, best known for becoming the first bank in 150 years to suffer a bank run after having had to approach the Bank of England for a loan facility, to replace money market funding, during the credit crisis in 2007. Having failed to find a commercial buyer for...
following its nationalization
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
.
On 1 April 2008, Sir Michael became the 3 day-a-week non-executive chairman of the new UK Statistics Authority
UK Statistics Authority
The UK Statistics Authority is an independent body operating at arm's length from Government as a non-ministerial department, directly accountable to Parliament...
(UKSA), through which the National Statistician
National Statistician
Directors of the UK's Office for National Statistics also hold the title of National Statistician.-Status:They are de facto Permanent Secretaries but do not use that title. As the ONS incorporated the OPCS, the Director also became the Registrar General for England and Wales...
is accountable to Parliament. The board oversees the Office for National Statistics
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Overview :...
, following the "independence" which it obtained from ministers in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007
Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007
The Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which established the UK Statistics Authority . It came into force in April 2008. Sir Michael Scholar was appointed as the first Chair of the UKSA....
. It also has a duty to assess all UK government statistics from other departments. Following Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
's announcement of new constitutional arrangements for public appointments, Sir Michael became, on 18 July 2007, the first such nominee to appear for vetting before the House of Commons Treasury Committee and to have his nomination subject to confirmation by the House.
Sources and Further Information
- St John's College, Oxford
- Cardiff University
- University of Oxford Annual Review 2000-01
- Oxford University Gazette 16 March 2000
- He has two other sons, Richard and John.