ESRC: New council members appointed

Ian Pearson, the Minister for Science and Innovation, has appointed two new members to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Professor Malcolm Grant is a barrister, an environmental lawyer, academic and public servant. He was Professor of Land Economy and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University before taking up the post of President and Provost of UCL in 2003. Professor Grant has served as Chairman of the Local Government Commission for England (1996-2002) and the UK Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (2000-2005). He was awarded the CBE in 2003 for services to planning law and local government. He is currently Chair of The Russell Group of UK research universities. Professor Grant has researched and published widely in areas including: planning and environmental law; regulation of biotechnology; local government structures, finance and political management; central–local government relations; human rights, property and participation; and environmental dispute resolution.

Professor Grant has been appointed to Council for a period of three years from 8th February 2008 to 31st July 2011.

Mr Dave Ramsden was appointed the Treasury’s Chief Macroeconomist and Director of the Macroeconomics and Fiscal Policy Group in 2005. He was previously the Director of Budget and Tax Policy. Mr Ramsden joined the Treasury in 1988 and has worked on a wide range of macroeconomic and microeconomic policy issues relating to the UK and European economies including fiscal and tax policy and public finances, the business sector and labour markets. He was awarded the CBE in the 2004 New Year's Honours for his work on EMU.

Mr Ramsden has been appointed to Council for a period of four years from 5th February 2008 to 31st January 2012.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

ESRC Press Office

Kelly Barnett Tel: 01793 413032 e-mail: kelly.barnett@esrc.ac.uk
Danielle Moore Tel: 01793 413122, e-mail: danielle.moore@esrc.ac.uk


Notes to Editors

1. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the UK's largest funding agency for research and postgraduate training relating to social and economic issues. It supports independent, high quality research which impacts on business, the public sector and the third sector. The ESRC’s planned total expenditure in 2008/09 is £203 million. At any one time the ESRC supports over 4,000 researchers and postgraduate students in academic institutions and research policy institutes. More at http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk

2. These appointments have been made in accordance with the requirements of the Code of the Commissioner for Public Appointments. None of the appointees have been involved in any relevant political activities in the last five years. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public.

3. The appointees hold no other ministerial appointments.

4. Professor Grant is entitled to receive an honorarium of £6,570 per year. No honorarium will be paid to Dave Ramsden.

5. An honorarium of £6,570 per year is currently paid to all members and a higher rate of £8,540 is paid to members who chair Boards. Neither of these appointees will chair boards.

6. ESRC Society Today offers free access to a broad range of social science research and presents it in a way that makes it easy to navigate and saves users valuable time. As well as bringing together all ESRC-funded research and key online resources such as the Social Science Information Gateway and the UK Data Archive, non-ESRC resources are included, for example the Office for National Statistics. The portal provides access to early findings and research summaries, as well as full texts and original datasets through integrated search facilities. More at www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk