Michael Wheeler-Booth
Encyclopedia
Sir Michael Addison John Wheeler-Booth KCB
(born 25 February 1934) is a British public servant and former Clerk of the Parliaments.
He was educated at Leighton Park School, Reading, and Magdalen College, Oxford
.
He became a Clerk in the House of Lords in 1960, and spent his career in the service of the House apart from a period of secondment to HM Treasury from 1965 to 1969. From 1965 to 1967 he was Private Secretary to the Leader of the House (Lord Longford) and Government Chief Whip (Lord Shepherd
). From 1967 to 1969 he was Joint Secretary of the Inter-Party Conference on House of
Lords Reform.
In 1973 he was clerk of the House of Lords Select Committee on Procedures for Scrutiny of Proposals for European Instruments chaired by the former House of Commons Speaker Lord Maybray-King. The Committee recommended the setting up of the House of Lords European Communities Committee (since 1999 the European Union Committee
) to scrutinise proposal for Community legislation, and he became that Committee's first clerk (1974 to 1983).
He served as Reading Clerk from 1983 to 1988 and Clerk Assistant from 1988 to 1990. In January 1991 he was appointed Clerk of the Parliaments
. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1994. He retired at the beginning of 1997.
From 1998 to June 2009 he was a Special Lecturer in Politics at Magdalen College, Oxford
. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the College in 2003.
In 1999 he served as a member of the Royal Commission on Reform of the House of Lords, chaired by Lord Wakeham, whose Report
was published in January 2000.
From 2002 to 2004 he was a member of the Commission on Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales chaired by Lord Richard (the Richard Commission).
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 25 February 1934) is a British public servant and former Clerk of the Parliaments.
He was educated at Leighton Park School, Reading, and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
.
He became a Clerk in the House of Lords in 1960, and spent his career in the service of the House apart from a period of secondment to HM Treasury from 1965 to 1969. From 1965 to 1967 he was Private Secretary to the Leader of the House (Lord Longford) and Government Chief Whip (Lord Shepherd
Malcolm Shepherd, 2nd Baron Shepherd
Malcolm Newton Shepherd, 2nd Baron Shepherd [Hereditary] and also Baron Shepherd of Spalding [Life Peerage] PC , was a British Labour politician and peer who served as Leader of the House of Lords under Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.Shepherd was the son of the Labour politician George...
). From 1967 to 1969 he was Joint Secretary of the Inter-Party Conference on House of
Lords Reform.
In 1973 he was clerk of the House of Lords Select Committee on Procedures for Scrutiny of Proposals for European Instruments chaired by the former House of Commons Speaker Lord Maybray-King. The Committee recommended the setting up of the House of Lords European Communities Committee (since 1999 the European Union Committee
European Union Committee
The European Union Committee is a select committee of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its terms of reference are "To consider European Union documents and other matters relating to the European Union". Much of the scrutiny is conducted by the seven subcommittees, each...
) to scrutinise proposal for Community legislation, and he became that Committee's first clerk (1974 to 1983).
He served as Reading Clerk from 1983 to 1988 and Clerk Assistant from 1988 to 1990. In January 1991 he was appointed Clerk of the Parliaments
Clerk of the Parliaments
The Clerk of the Parliaments is the chief clerk of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The position has existed since at least 1315, and duties include preparing the minutes of Lords proceedings, advising on proper parliamentary procedure and pronouncing the Royal Assent...
. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 1994. He retired at the beginning of 1997.
From 1998 to June 2009 he was a Special Lecturer in Politics at Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the College in 2003.
In 1999 he served as a member of the Royal Commission on Reform of the House of Lords, chaired by Lord Wakeham, whose Report
Wakeham Report
The Wakeham Report, published in 2000, was the report of a Royal Commission headed by Lord Wakeham, concerning reform of the United Kingdom's House of Lords. -Recommendations of the report:...
was published in January 2000.
From 2002 to 2004 he was a member of the Commission on Powers and Electoral Arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales chaired by Lord Richard (the Richard Commission).