Peter Peacock
Encyclopedia
Peter Peacock has been a Labour
regional list Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Highlands and Islands since 1999. Peacock was appointed a deputy minister when first elected in 1999, and promoted to Minister for Education and Young People in the Scottish Executive
after the 2003 election. He resigned from his Government post in November 2006 due to ill health.
Immediately prior to coming to Parliament, Peacock was the Convener of Highland Council, having been an independent councillor for Ardersier
in Highland Region since 1982. He held various positions during that time as Finance Convener, Chair of Policy and Resources Committee and Vice-Convener.
Peacock has also been a Vice-President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
and a former Member of the European Committee of the Regions
; the Council of Europe
; the Scottish Post Office
Board and Scottish Natural Heritage
. He previously ran his own business and prior to that worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau
service nationally and was also a Community Worker for a time. Upon his resignation as Minister he won praise from the general-secretary of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland who said "He has been an outstanding minister, with both a genuine commitment to, and a solid grasp of, his brief".
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
regional list Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for Highlands and Islands since 1999. Peacock was appointed a deputy minister when first elected in 1999, and promoted to Minister for Education and Young People in the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
after the 2003 election. He resigned from his Government post in November 2006 due to ill health.
Immediately prior to coming to Parliament, Peacock was the Convener of Highland Council, having been an independent councillor for Ardersier
Ardersier
Ardersier is a small former fishing village in the Scottish Highlands, on the Moray Firth, east of Inverness, near Fort George, and Nairn . Its name is an anglicisation of the Gaelic "Àird nan Saor", or "Headland of the joiners", one local legend being that carpenters working on the construction...
in Highland Region since 1982. He held various positions during that time as Finance Convener, Chair of Policy and Resources Committee and Vice-Convener.
Peacock has also been a Vice-President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is the representative association of Scottish local government and is the employers’ association on behalf of all Scottish councils...
and a former Member of the European Committee of the Regions
Committee of the Regions
The Committee of the Regions is European Union's assembly of local and regional representatives that provides sub-national authorities with a direct voice within the EU's institutional framework....
; the Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
; the Scottish Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
Board and Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage
Scottish Natural Heritage is a Scottish public body. It is responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. It advises the Scottish Government and acts as a government agent in the delivery of conservation designations, i.e...
. He previously ran his own business and prior to that worked for the Citizens Advice Bureau
Citizens Advice Bureau
A Citizens Advice Bureau is one of a network of independent charities throughout the UK that give free, confidential information and advice to help people with their money, legal, consumer and other problems....
service nationally and was also a Community Worker for a time. Upon his resignation as Minister he won praise from the general-secretary of the Headteachers' Association of Scotland who said "He has been an outstanding minister, with both a genuine commitment to, and a solid grasp of, his brief".