John Elvidge

Sir John Elvidge KCB (born 9 February 1951) is Permanent Secretary to the Scottish Executive. He was appointed in July 2003, replacing Sir Muir Russell.

Biography

He is a graduate in English from the University of Oxford and joined the Scottish Office in 1973, working in most departments, with a particular emphasis on economic development, physical infrastructure and European Union relations.

John Elvidge was seconded to Scottish Homes, from 1988-89, and to the Cabinet Office, from 1998 to 1999, where he worked on co-ordination of the UK Government's legislative programme and social policies.

He was Head of the Scottish Executive Education Department from May 1999 before being appointed Head of the Finance and Central Services Department in March 2002.

Elvidge was created a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB) on 17 June 2006.

He is married to Maureen McGinn, CEO of tax exile Irvine Laidlaw, Baron Laidlaw's charity the Laidlaw Youth Project. In 2007 it was reported in the press that the Scottish Executive had seconded his wife to set up the Project and offset his wife's salary of £73,586 against the £250,000 donation promised bt the then First Minister, Jack McConnell, to Lord Laidlaw alongside his own commitment to donate £1 million in the first year of the Project's operation and up to £20 million in total. [citenews|url=http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.1411844.0.executive_funded_tory_tax_exiles_charity_with_taxpayers_money.php|title=Executive funded Tory tax exile’s charity with taxpayers’ money|publisher=Sunday Herald|date=20th May, 2007|accessdate=2008-04-27]

His interests include sport, the arts and food and wine.

References

External links

* [http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/Management Scottish Executive website - biography]