John Elvidge
{{Short description|British civil servant (born 1951)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = Sir
|name = John Elvidge
|honorific-suffix = KCB
|image = John Elvidge.jpg
|imagesize =
|smallimage =
|caption =
|order =
|office = Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government
|term_start = July 2003
|term_end = June 2010
|firstminister = Jack McConnell
Alex Salmond
|predecessor = Sir Muir Russell
|successor = Sir Peter Housden
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|2|9|df=yes}}
|birth_place = London, England
|death_date =
|death_place =
|restingplace =
|spouse = Maureen Margaret Ann McGinn
|residence =
|alma_mater = St Catherine's College, Oxford
|occupation = Civil Servant
|profession =
}}
Sir John William Elvidge KCB, FRSE (born 9 February 1951) is the former Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government. He was appointed in July 2003, replacing Sir Muir Russell. He retired from the post in June 2010.{{cite news | url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/sir-john-elvidge-quits-permanent-secretary-scottish-government-2473709 | title=Sir John Elvidge quits as permanent secretary to the Scottish Government | work=Scotsman | date=21 May 2010 | accessdate=2021-10-03 }}
Early life
He was born on 9 February 1951, son of Herbert William Elvidge and Irene Teresa Reynolds, and educated at Sir George Monoux School in Walthamstow, North- East London.{{cite web|title=ELVIDGE, Sir John (William)|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U14950|work=Who's Who|publisher=Oxford University Press|date=December 2008|accessdate=23 June 2009}} He studied English language and literature at St Catherine's College, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree.{{cite web|title=Sir John Elvidge, Permanent Secretary|url=http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/strategic-board/Permanent-Secretary|publisher=Scottish Government|date=24 July 2008|accessdate=23 June 2009}} In 1973, he joined the Civil Service, working in the Scottish Office.
Civil service
While at the Scottish Office, Elvidge worked particularly in the fields of economic development, physical infrastructure and European Union relations. He was seconded to Scottish Homes, from 1988 to 1989, and to the Cabinet Office, from 1998 to 1999, where he was involved in co-ordination of the Government's legislative programme and social policies. In May 1999, he was appointed Head of the Scottish Government Education Department, and in March 2002 became Head of the Finance and Central Services Department. In 2003, he became Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government, succeeding Sir Muir Russell, who became Principal of the University of Glasgow.{{cite web | title=Top civil servant knighted | url=http://news.scotsman.com/birthdayhonours/Top-civil-servant-knighted.2784535.jp | date=17 June 2006 | publisher=The Scotsman | accessdate=23 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319225058/http://news.scotsman.com/birthdayhonours/Top-civil-servant-knighted.2784535.jp | archive-date=2009-03-19 }} He announced his retirement on 21 May 2010, to take effect in June, to enable his successor to prepare for the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2011.
Appointment as chairman of Edinburgh Airport
In May 2012 it was announced that Elvidge had been appointed by Global Infrastructure Partners as chairman of Edinburgh Airport. The appointment was effective from 1 June 2012, following completion of Global Infrastructure Partners' £807.2 million acquisition of the airport from BAA.{{Cite news | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9263591/Former-civil-servant-Sir-John-Elvidge-in-Edinburgh-Airport-role.html | title=Former civil servant Sir John Elvidge in Edinburgh Airport role - Telegraph | first=Suzie | last=Neuwirth | date=May 14, 2012 | work=The Telegraph | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120514022146/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9263591/Former-civil-servant-Sir-John-Elvidge-in-Edinburgh-Airport-role.html | archive-date=2012-05-14 }}
Honours and awards
Elvidge was created a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) in the 2006 Birthday Honours.UK list: {{London Gazette |date=17 June 2006 |issue=58014 |pages=2 |supp=1}} He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2009.{{Cite press release|url=https://www.rse.org.uk/fellow/john-elvidge/|title=Sir John William Elvidge KCB FRSE |publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|access-date=2018-03-14|language=en-GB}}
Personal life
He is married to Maureen McGinn (Lady Elvidge) who is a member of the Scotland Committee of the Big Lottery, chair of the Board of ASH Scotland, and was chief executive of the Laidlaw Youth Trust which funded effective interventions supporting children and vulnerable young people in Scotland. She was awarded a CBE in the 2021 New Year Honours.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-12-30|title=The New Year Honours 2021|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-new-year-honours-2021|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230223155/https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/the-new-year-honours-2021 |archive-date=2020-12-30 |access-date=2023-02-21|website=GOV.UK|language=en}}
His interests include painting, film, theatre, music, modern novels, sport, the arts and food and wine.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/strategic-board Scottish Government Strategic Board and biography]
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{{succession box|title=Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Government|before=Sir Muir Russell|after=Sir Peter Housden|years=2003–2010}}
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Category:Permanent Secretaries of the Scottish Executive
Category:Civil servants in the Scottish Office
Category:Civil servants in the Cabinet Office