Michael Bichard
Encyclopedia
Michael George Bichard, Baron Bichard, KCB
, is a former public servant in the United Kingdom
, first in local and then as a civil servant in central government. He currently serves as the Director of the Institute for Government
and as Chair of the Design Council
. He was a created a life peer
on 24 March 2010.
and then Gloucestershire
Local Authorities during the 1980s.
In 1990, he was appointed Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency
.
In 1995, Bichard was made Permanent Secretary
of the Department for Employment. When it merged with the Department for Education (DfE) to form the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), he became Permanent Secretary of the combined department, under Gillian Shephard, and then, post-1997
, David Blunkett
. He became extremely close to Blunkett, even at one point intervening personally - according to the Daily Mail - to ensure that details of an affair that Blunkett was conducting with his Private Secretary should not become public. During his time as Permanent Secretary, he introduced several modernising reforms to the Department, notably in bringing its use of information technology and new media up to date. He oversaw some significant changes to the education policy landscape, such as the introduction of the Learning and Skills Council
to fund further education
and apprenticeships.
In May 2001 he retired from the Civil Service
, when DfEE and the Department for Social Security were split into the Department for Education and Skills and Department for Work and Pensions
.
.
In 2004, the Home Secretary David Blunkett (previously Bichard's minister as Secretary of State for Education and Employment) appointed Bichard to chair an inquiry into the "Soham murders
" of two 10-year-old girls; the inquiry has since been known as the "Bichard Inquiry".
He was non-Executive Chair of RSe Consulting from 2003-2008. RSe Consulting provided strategic and management consulting services to local government and became part of Tribal Group Plc in 2008.
Bichard was appointed Chair of the Legal Services Commission
in April 2005. There he introduced a range of reforming measures aimed at modernising the legal aid system. He was also chair of the educational charity Rathbone
.
Bichard left these two roles in September 2008 when he became the Director of the Institute for Government
.
Bichard is now Chair of the Board of FILMCLUB
, a nationwide after-school film club scheme which is free to state primary and secondary schools and an efficiency advisor to the Ten Group.
in the Queen's
Birthday Honours
in 1999. On the recommendation of the House of Lords Appointments Commission
, he was created life peer 24 March 2010, as Baron Bichard, of Nailsworth in the County of Gloucestershire. He was introduced in the House of Lords
on 29 March, where he will sit on the crossbenches.
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...
, is a former public servant in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, first in local and then as a civil servant in central government. He currently serves as the Director of the Institute for Government
Institute for Government
The Institute for Government is an United Kingdom independent charity that aims to improve government effectiveness created in 2008. It was initially funded with about £15 million by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, at the instigation of Lord David Sainsbury.....
and as Chair of the Design Council
Design Council
The Design Council is a United Kingdom non-departmental public body incorporated by Royal Charter and registered as a charity.Registered charity number 272099.- In the beginning :The Design Council started in 1944 as the Council of Industrial Design...
. He was a created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
on 24 March 2010.
Career
Bichard served as the Chief Executive of BrentLondon Borough of Brent
In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 2,022. This rose slowly throughout the 19th century, as the district became built up; reaching 5,646 in the middle of the century. When the railways arrived the rate of population growth increased...
and then Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
Local Authorities during the 1980s.
In 1990, he was appointed Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
.
In 1995, Bichard was made 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 Department for Employment. When it merged with the Department for Education (DfE) to form the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), he became Permanent Secretary of the combined department, under Gillian Shephard, and then, post-1997
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
, David Blunkett
David Blunkett
David Blunkett is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, having represented Sheffield Brightside from 1987 to 2010...
. He became extremely close to Blunkett, even at one point intervening personally - according to the Daily Mail - to ensure that details of an affair that Blunkett was conducting with his Private Secretary should not become public. During his time as Permanent Secretary, he introduced several modernising reforms to the Department, notably in bringing its use of information technology and new media up to date. He oversaw some significant changes to the education policy landscape, such as the introduction of the Learning and Skills Council
Learning and Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in England...
to fund further education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
and apprenticeships.
In May 2001 he retired from the Civil Service
British Civil Service
Her Majesty's Home Civil Service, also known as the Home Civil Service, is the permanent bureaucracy of Crown employees that supports Her Majesty's Government - the government of the United Kingdom, composed of a Cabinet of ministers chosen by the prime minister, as well as the devolved...
, when DfEE and the Department for Social Security were split into the Department for Education and Skills and Department for Work and Pensions
Department for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
.
Post-retirement
In September 2001 Bichard was appointed Rector of The University of the Arts LondonUniversity of the Arts London
The University of the Arts London, formerly known as the London Institute, is a collegiate university comprising six internationally recognised art, design, fashion and media colleges in London, England...
.
In 2004, the Home Secretary David Blunkett (previously Bichard's minister as Secretary of State for Education and Employment) appointed Bichard to chair an inquiry into the "Soham murders
Soham murders
The Soham murders was an English murder case in 2002 of two 10-year-old girls in the village of Soham, Cambridgeshire.The victims were Holly Marie Wells and Jessica Aimee Chapman...
" of two 10-year-old girls; the inquiry has since been known as the "Bichard Inquiry".
He was non-Executive Chair of RSe Consulting from 2003-2008. RSe Consulting provided strategic and management consulting services to local government and became part of Tribal Group Plc in 2008.
Bichard was appointed Chair of the Legal Services Commission
Legal Services Commission
The Legal Services Commission is an executive non-departmental public body of the Ministry of Justice that is responsible for the operational administration of legal aid in England and Wales.-Overview:...
in April 2005. There he introduced a range of reforming measures aimed at modernising the legal aid system. He was also chair of the educational charity Rathbone
Rathbone
Rathbone may refer to:* Rathbone, New York, a US town*Rathbone , a UK charitable organizationPeople with the surname Rathbone:* Basil Rathbone, British actor* Clyde Rathbone, Australian rugby union player...
.
Bichard left these two roles in September 2008 when he became the Director of the Institute for Government
Institute for Government
The Institute for Government is an United Kingdom independent charity that aims to improve government effectiveness created in 2008. It was initially funded with about £15 million by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, at the instigation of Lord David Sainsbury.....
.
Bichard is now Chair of the Board of FILMCLUB
FILMCLUB
FILMCLUB is an education charity which sets up film clubs in schools and other education and care establishments in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. The scheme is free to all state primary and secondary schools in Wales and England...
, a nationwide after-school film club scheme which is free to state primary and secondary schools and an efficiency advisor to the Ten Group.
Honours and peerage
Bichard was appointed as a knight in the Order of the BathOrder 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...
in the Queen's
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
Birthday Honours
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...
in 1999. On the recommendation of the House of Lords Appointments Commission
House of Lords Appointments Commission
The House of Lords Appointments Commission is a non-partisan, non-statutory, independent body in the United Kingdom. It has three roles:*to recommend people for appointment as non-party-political life peers;...
, he was created life peer 24 March 2010, as Baron Bichard, of Nailsworth in the County of Gloucestershire. He was introduced in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
on 29 March, where he will sit on the crossbenches.