David Omand
Encyclopedia
Sir David Bruce Omand GCB
(born 15 April 1947) is a former senior British civil servant.
, Omand started out with the Government Communications Headquarters
. After years of service with the Ministry of Defence, from 1996 to 1997 he was Director of GCHQ, before being appointed Permanent Secretary
at the Home Office
. In the 2000 New Year Honours
, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). In 2002 he became the first Permanent Secretary and Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator in the Cabinet Office
. Sir David was among those to decide that David Kelly
should be pursued for talking to the media about the Government's dossier on Iraq's alleged WMD
. Sir David and Sir Kevin Tebbit, then permanent secretary at the MoD, recommended to Jack Straw
and Tony Blair
that John Scarlett
head MI6. John Scarlett was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee that drafted the WMD dossier.
In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours
, he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB). He retired from the Cabinet Office in April 2005. On 27 January 2006, he was appointed to the board of The Natural History Museum
, for a term of 4 years. He has served the Crown for over 35 years. He is also an Honorary Vice-President of the Royal United Services Institute
.
On 20 January 2010, Omand gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry.
In 2009 he was asked by the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson
, to carry out a review into the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
to "satisfy ministers" that the council is "discharging the functions" that it is supposed to.
He is now a visiting professor at King's College London
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(born 15 April 1947) is a former senior British civil servant.
Career
Educated at Glasgow Academy and Corpus Christi College, CambridgeCorpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
, Omand started out with the Government Communications Headquarters
Government Communications Headquarters
The Government Communications Headquarters is a British intelligence agency responsible for providing signals intelligence and information assurance to the UK government and armed forces...
. After years of service with the Ministry of Defence, from 1996 to 1997 he was Director of GCHQ, before being appointed 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...
at the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
. In the 2000 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB). In 2002 he became the first Permanent Secretary and Security and Intelligence Co-ordinator in the Cabinet Office
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
. Sir David was among those to decide that David Kelly
David Kelly
David Christopher Kelly, CMG was a British scientist and expert on biological warfare, employed by the British Ministry of Defence, and formerly a United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq...
should be pursued for talking to the media about the Government's dossier on Iraq's alleged WMD
September Dossier
Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Assessment of the British Government, also known as the September Dossier, was a document published by the British government on 24 September 2002 on the same day of a recall of Parliament to discuss the contents of the document...
. Sir David and Sir Kevin Tebbit, then permanent secretary at the MoD, recommended to Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
and Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony 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...
that John Scarlett
John Scarlett
Sir John McLeod Scarlett, KCMG, OBE was Director General of the British Secret Intelligence Service from 2004 to 2009...
head MI6. John Scarlett was chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee that drafted the WMD dossier.
In the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
, he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB). He retired from the Cabinet Office in April 2005. On 27 January 2006, he was appointed to the board of The Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is one of three large museums on Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, England . Its main frontage is on Cromwell Road...
, for a term of 4 years. He has served the Crown for over 35 years. He is also an Honorary Vice-President of the Royal United Services Institute
Royal United Services Institute
The Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies , officially still known by its old name, the Royal United Services Institution, is a British defence and security think tank. It was founded in 1831 by The Duke of Wellington.RUSI describes itself asIt won Prospect Magazine's...
.
On 20 January 2010, Omand gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry.
In 2009 he was asked by the Home Secretary, Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson
Alan Arthur Johnson is a British Labour Party politician who served as Home Secretary from June 2009 to May 2010. Before that, he filled a wide variety of cabinet positions in both the Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary and Education Secretary. Until 20 January 2011 he was...
, to carry out a review into the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is a statutory and non-executive non-departmental British public body, which was established under the UK's Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.-Mandate:Its terms of reference, according to the Act, are as follows:...
to "satisfy ministers" that the council is "discharging the functions" that it is supposed to.
He is now a visiting professor at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
.