Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Scotland

This is a list of Permanent Under-Secretaries for Scotland in the Civil Service. It should not be confused with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland.

Office

The political office of Secretary for Scotland was established in 1885 along with the establishment of the Scottish Office.[1] In line with the secretaryship, a permanent under-secretaryship was created, to be occupied by a civil servant. The first office-holder was Francis Sandford.[2] When the political office became the Secretary of State for Scotland in 1926, the permanent secretary also became Permanent Under-Secretary of State.[3]

Permanent Under-Secretaries (of State) for Scotland

The following were Permanent Under-Secretaries (of State) for Scotland:[4]

• 1885–1887: Sir Francis Richard John Sandford, KCB (later Baron Sandford).[3]
• 1888–1892: Robert William Cochran-Patrick.[3]
• 1892–1902: Colonel Sir Colin Scott-Moncrieff, KCSI.[3]
• 1902–1908: Sir Reginald Macleod of Macleod, KCB.[3]
• 1909–1921: Sir James Miller Dodds, KCB
• 1921–1933: Sir John Lamb, KCB (Under-Secretary of State after 1926)
• 1933–1937: Sir John Jeffrey, KCB, CBE FRSE
• 1937: John Elborn Highton, CB
• 1937–1946: Sir Horace Perkins Hamilton, GCB
• 1946–1959: Sir David Milne, GCB
• 1959–1964: Sir William Stuart Murrie, GCB, KBE
• 1965–1973: Sir Thomas Douglas Haddow, KCB, FRSE
• 1973–1978: Sir Nicholas Godfrey Morrison, KCB
• 1978–1988: Sir William Kerr Fraser, GCB
• 1988–1998: Sir Robert Russell Hillhouse, KCB, FRSE
• 1998–1999: Alastair Muir Russell (later KCB)

Heads of the Scottish departments (Secretary grade)

The Scottish Office was unusual in that it was federal in arrangement; the Secretary of State oversaw several separate Scottish departments via the Scottish Office; those departments were headed by a Secretary who was responsible directly to the Secretary of State, but would meet with the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office regularly.[5] The following is a list of those secretaries.[4]

Secretary, Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department

The Board of Agriculture for Scotland, which had been founded in 1912,[6] was replaced in 1928 by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland with a new permanent secretary.[7] Responsibility for fisheries was added in 1960 from the Scottish Home Department, and the department was then renamed the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.[8] In 1991, it was renamed the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.[9] In 1995, it was again renamed to the Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department.[10]

As Board of Agriculture for Scotland

• 1912–1918: Hugh Morison Conacher.[11][12]
• 1918–1928: Charles Weatherill (later CBE)

As Department of Agriculture for Scotland

• 1928–1934: Sir Robert Blyth Greig, Kt, MC, FRSE
• 1934–1953: Sir Patrick Ramsay Laird, KBE, CB, FRSE
• 1953–1958: Sir Alexander Glen, KBE, CB, MC
• 1958–1960: Sir Matthew Campbell, KBE, CB, FRSE

As Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland (from 1991 Scottish Office Department of Agriculture and Fisheries)

• 1960–1968: Sir Matthew Campbell, KBE, CB, FRSE
• 1968–1971: Harry Whitby, CB
• 1971: William George Pottinger (CVO, later CB; both honours revoked in 1975)
• 1972–1984: James Ian Smith, CB
• 1984–1992: Loudon Pearson Hamilton, CB
• 1992–1995: Kenneth John Mackenzie (later CB)

As Scottish Office Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries Department

• 1995–1998: Alastair Muir Russell (later KCB)
• 1998–1999: John Strathie Graham

Secretary, Scottish Office Development Department (1962–1999)

Created in 1962 as the Scottish Development Department,[8] it was renamed in 1991, becoming the Scottish Office Environment Department,[9] but reverted to being the Scottish Office Development Department in 1995.[10]

As Scottish Development Department

• 1962–1964: Thomas Douglas Haddow, CB (later KCB)
• 1965–1973: Sir Alan Blythe Hume, Kt, CB
• 1973–1976: Kenneth Newis, CB, CVO
• 1976–1980: Eric Gillett
• 1980–1987: Tony Richard Hillier Godden, CB
• 1987–1990: Robert Gavin Loudon McCrone, CB

As Scottish (Office) Environment Department

• 1991–1992: Robert Gavin Loudon McCrone, CB
• 1992–1995: Harold Hernshaw Mills, CB

As Scottish Office Development Department

• 1995–1998: Harold Hernshaw Mills, CB
• 1998–1999: Kenneth John Mackenzie (later CB)

Secretary, Scottish Office Industry Department (1973–1995)

Created in 1973 as the Scottish Economic Planning Department.[8] It was renamed the Scottish Industry Department in 1983,[13] and, like all departments it was prefixed with "Scottish Office" in 1991.[9] The department's portfolio was merged with the Education Department in 1995.[14][15]

• 1973–1980: Tony Richard Hillier Godden, CB
• 1980–1983: Robert Gavin Loudon McCrone, CB

As Scottish (Office) Industry Department

• 1983–1987: Robert Gavin Loudon McCrone, CB
• 1987–1990: James Archibald Scott, CB, LVO, FRSE
• 1990–1995: Peter Mackay, CB

Secretary, Scottish Office Education and Industry Department

Formed in 1872 as the Scotch Education Department, renamed Scottish Education Department in 1918, Scottish Office Education Department in 1991 and Scottish Office Education and Industry Department in 1995.[14]

• 1872–1884: Francis Richard Sandford (later Baron Sandford, KCB).[3]
• 1884–1885: Patrick Cumin, CB.[3]
• 1885–1904: Sir Henry Craik, KCB.[3]
• 1904–1921: Sir John Struthers, KCB
• 1922–1928: Sir George Macdonald, KCB
• 1928–1936: Sir William Wallace McKechnie, KBE, CB.[16]
• 1936–1940: Sir James Wallace Peck, Kt, CB, FRSE
• 1940–1952: Sir John Mackay Thomson, Kt, CBE, FRSE (acting 1939)
• 1952–1957: Sir William Stuart Murrie, KBE, CB (later GCB)
• 1964–1973: Sir Norman William Graham, Kt, CB
• 1973–1976: John Martin Fearn, CB
• 1976–1984: John Angus Macbeth Mitchell, CB, CVO, MC
• 1984–1987: James Archibald Scott, LVO, FRSE (later CB)
• 1988–1999: Gerald Robertson Wilson, CB, FRSE

Secretary, Department of Health for Scotland (1929–1962)

The Board of Health was established in 1919.[6] In 1928, it became the Department of Health for Scotland,[17] and merged with the Department of Health for Scotland in 1962 to form the Scottish Home and Health Department (see below).[8]

As Scottish Board of Health

• 1919–1928: John Jeffrey, CBE (later KCB)

As Department of Health for Scotland[18]

• 1929–1933: John Jeffrey, CBE, CB (later KCB)
• 1933–1937: John Elborn Highton, CB
• 1937–1939: William Scott Douglas, CB (later GCB, KBE)
• 1939–1943: William Robert Fraser, CB (later KCB, KBE)
• 1943–1953: Sir George Henry Henderson, KBE, CB
• 1953–1956: Harold Ross Smith, CB
• 1956–1959: Sir John Anderson, KBE, CB
• 1959–1962: Thomas Douglas Haddow, CB (later KCB)

Secretary, Scottish Home Department (1939–1962)

Established in 1939 to take over functions of the Scottish Office, the Fishery Board for Scotland, and the Prisons Department for Scotland.[19] Merged with the Department of Health for Scotland in 1962 to form the Scottish Home and Health Department (see below).[8]

• 1939–1942: Robert Norman Duke, CB (later KBE; on secondment with the Scottish Civil Defence Regional Office from September 1939)
• 1942–1946: Sir David Milne, KCB (later GCB)
• 1946–1948: Robert Norman Duke, CB (later KBE)
• 1948–1957: Sir Charles Craik Cunningham, KBE, CB, CVO
• 1957–1959: Sir William Stuart Murrie, KBE, CB (later GCB)
• 1959–1962: Sir John Anderson, KBE, CB

Secretary, Scottish Office Home and Health Department

Formed by merger of the Scottish Home Department and the Department of Health for Scotland in 1962.[8] It was renamed the Scottish Office Home and Health Department in 1991,[9] and split up into the Scottish Office Health Department and the Scottish Office Home Department in 1995.[10]

• 1963–1972: Sir Ronald Ernest Charles Johnson, Kt, CB
• 1972–1977: Ronald Petrie Fraser, CB
• 1977–1984: Archibald Louden Rennie, CB
• 1984–1990: William Kennedy Reid, CB (later KCB)
• 1990–1992: Graham Allan Hart, CB (later KCB)
• 1992–1995: James Hamill (later CB).[20][10]

In 1995, the department was subsequently split into the Scottish Office Home Department and the Scottish Office Health Department.[10] Hamill remained Secretary and Head of the Home Department, and was appointed CB in 1997. He was still in the office in 1999, when it was abolished on the formation of the devolved Scottish Executive.[21][22]

After 1995, the new Health Department had no secretary, but comprised several branches: the Management Executive for NHS in Scotland (the Chief Executive from 1993 to 1999 was Geoffrey Richard Scaife, CB), the Office of the Chief Scientist, the Public Health Policy Unit (the head of which was the Chief Medical Officer), Medical Services (also headed by the Chief Medical Officer) and Nursing Services (headed by the Chief Nursing Officer).[10][23]

Secretary, Prisons Department for Scotland (1929–1939)

The Prisons Department was established by the Reorganisation of Offices (Scotland) Act 1928; it was abolished by the Reorganisation of Offices (Scotland) Act 1939, and its functions were transferred to the newly established Scottish Home Department.

• 1929–1935: Lt-Col. Randolph Eustace Wemyss Baird, OBE.[24][25]
• 1936–1939: Lt-Col. William Leith-Ross, MC.[26][27]

Deputy Secretary, Central Services (1974–1991)

The Deputy Secretary, Central Services, ranked equally with the Secretaries of each of the Departments, and formed part of the Scottish Office's management group (along with the Secretaries and Permanent Under-Secretary). The office-holder was responsible for matters of devolution, as well as the financial management of the Office and local authority finance.[28]

The office was established in response to the devolution policies of the Second Wilson Ministry; "it became imperative to create devolution units at high level but separate from the departments". The first appointment was Kerr Fraser,[29] who held the post between 1975 and 1978.[30] The office was abolished in 1991, after Ian Penman left. Responsibility for local government finance was transferred to the Environment Department (formerly the Development Department), while management responsibilities were vested in Gerry Wilson, secretary of the Education Department; this latter arrangement was not intended to be permanent, but reflected the "relative workload" of the different grade 2 officials.[31]

• 1975–1978: William Kerr Fraser, CB (later GCB)
• 1978–1984: William Kennedy Reid, CB (later KCB)
• 1984–1991: Ian Dalgleish Penman, CB

References

1. The office was established under the Secretary for Scotland Act 1885, section 2.
2. W. H. G. Armytage, "Francis Richard John Sandford, first Baron Sanford", The Bulletin of the John Rylands Library, vol. 31 (1948), p. 114.
3. David Milne, The Scottish Office (London: Allen and Unwin, 1957), p. 217.
4. Names and dates are based on the individuals' Who's Who entries, unless cited otherwise.
5. James G. Kellas, The Scottish Political System, 4th ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989), p. 77.
6. "Chronology of Devolution, 1885–1979", Scottish Government Yearbook (1979), p. 204.
7. "The Reorganization of Scottish Offices", The Times (London), 18 October 1928, p. 16.
8. Mary Macdonald and Adam Redpath, "The Scottish Office, 1954–1979", Scottish Government Yearbook 1980 (1980), p. 101–102.
9. Richard Parry, "The structure of the Scottish Office 1991", in The Scottish Government Yearbook 1992, p. 247.
10. "New Scottish Office structure announced", The Local Government Chronicle, 7 August 1995. Retrieved 20 January 2019.
11. The London Gazette, 3 May 1912 (no. 28604), p. 3196.
12. Sixth report of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland being for the year ended 31st December 1917 (Cd. 9069, 1918), p. vii.
13. Arthur F. Midwinter, Michael Keating and James Mitchell, Politics and Public Policy in Scotland (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1991), p. 55.
14. John P. Wilson, The Routledge Encyclopaedia of UK Education, Training and Employment (Abingdon: Routledge, 2011), p. 273.
15. "Threat to Scottish Industry Department", The Scotsman, 1 February 1995. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
16. His obituary in The Times ("Sir W. W. Mckechnie", The Times, 26 August 1947, p. 6) states 1922 to 1936, but this is contradicted by Sir George Macdonald's Who's Who entry which states that he (Macdonald) was secretary between 1922 and 1928. The University of Edinburgh Journal (1937, p. 55) states that McKechnie was secretary between 1928 and 1936.
17. By the Reorganisation of Offices (Scotland) Act 1928.
18. For the office-holders down to 1957, see Milne, p. 218.
19. "New Scottish Home Department", The Times (London), 23 June 1939, p.10.
20. Hamill was Secretary in 1992 (The Scottish Office Home and Health Department. Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services for Scotland. Report for 1992 (Cm 2271, 1992-93), p. 45).
21. Hamill was appointed CB in 1997 (see London Gazette, 30 December 1997 (supplement, no. 54993), p. 3); the Civil Service Yearbook for 1998 and 1999 show him to be in office (31st ed., p. 359; 32nd ed., 365).
22. Hamill was also known as Hamish (see, for instance, "Man the money's on", Herald Scotland, 12 June 1999), the Gaelic equivalent of "James".
23. The Civil Service Yearbook: 31st Edition, 1998–1999, pp. 353–354, 359.
24. The Edinburgh Gazette, 12 April 1929 (no. 14538), p. 390.
25. "Lieut.-Col. Baird", The Times, 3 December 1935, p. 19.
26. The London Gazette, 7 April 1936 (no. 34272), p. 2297.
27. Andrew Coyle, Inside: Rethinking Scotland's Prisons (Scottish Child, 1981), p. 187. Leith-Ross was subsequently appointed Director of Prison and Borstal Services in the new Scottish Home Department, serving in that office until 1950 when he retired and was succeeded by Kingsley Montague Hancock, who served until 1961 and was appointed CBE in 1962 (see Scottish Home Department: Report on Prisons in Scotland for the Year 1950 (Cmd. 8261), p. 6, which gives a brief account of Leith-Ross's career, and Hancock's entry in Who's Who for his career).
28. Scottish Government Yearbook 1979, p. 208.
29. Richard Rose, Ministers and Ministries: A Function Analysis (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1987), pp. 127–128.
30. "Fraser, Sir (William) Kerr", Who Was Who (online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2018). Retrieved 20 January 2019.
31. Richard Parry, "The structure of the Scottish Office 1991", in The Scottish Government Yearbook 1992, p. 249.