Speaker Profile

Alex Galloway, previously Clerk to the Privy Council
Alex Galloway retired at the end of 2006 after eight years as Clerk of the Privy Council and Permanent Head of the Privy Council Office. Born and raised on Merseyside he read Classics ("Greats") at Oxford before joining the Department of the Environment (DOE). He has spent his entire career in the Civil Service, mostly in the DOE and its successor, DETR, but with a couple of spells in the Cabinet Office and secondments to the Local Government Commission for England and the Energy Saving Trust. His interests are skiing, playing the cello and choral singing. He is a trustee of an environmental charity and President of the London Branch of the Oxford University Society. He was appointed CVO in December 2006. Since retirement he has taken up a number of part-time posts, including the Clerkship of a City Livery Company. Career 1974-1982 Department of the Environment. Progressed from Executive Officer to Principal working on policy in planning, inner cities, ancient monuments and housing. 1982-1985 Cabinet Office. Served as Private Secretary to, successively, Cecil Parkinson MP, John Gummer MP and Lord Cockfield. 1985-1992 Department of the Environment. Worked on policy in housing, corporate planning and local government finance, including implementation of the community charge and the development and implementation of its successor, the council tax. 1992 Secondment as shadow deputy secretary to the newly established Local Government Commission for England. 1992-1994 Member of the Cabinet Office Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat servicing the Cabinet and a number of its Committees. 1994-1998 Assistant Secretary, Department of the Environment/DETR, working on energy efficiency, fuel poverty policy and environmental awareness campaigns. 1998 Secondment to the Energy Saving Trust as Head of Policy Development. 1998-2006 Clerk of the Privy Council and Permanent Head of the Privy Council Office. 2006-date Clerk of the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass (part-time). Other appointments - Member, Architects Registration Board. - Member, Professional Regulation Executive Committee, The Actuarial Profession - Member of the Council of the Institute of Directors, and of the Institute’s Professional Accreditation Committee - Adviser to the Association of Lord Lieutenants - Trustee (and past Chairman) of Projects in Partnership, an environmental charity which operates the website www.grownupgreen.org.uk. - President, Oxford University Society, London Branch.