Richard Wilson, Baron Wilson of Dinton

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Richard Thomas James Wilson, Baron Wilson of Dinton GCB (born 11 October 1942) is a cross bench member of the House of Lords.

Richard Wilson was born in Glamorgan and educated at Radley College (1956-60) and Clare College Cambridge (1961-65). He was called to the Bar but, rather than practice, entered the Civil Service as an assistant principal in the Board of Trade in 1966.

He subsequently served in a number of departments including 12 years in the Department of Energy where his responsibilities included nuclear power policy, the privatisation of Britoil, personnel and finance. He headed the Economic Secretariat in the Cabinet Office under Mrs Thatcher from 1987-90 and after two years in the Treasury was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department of the Environment in 1992.

He became Permanent Under Secretary of the Home Office in 1994 and Secretary of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service in January 1998.

He was elevated to a Life peer as Baron Wilson of Dinton, of Dinton in the County of Buckinghamshire in 2002, after retiring as Cabinet Secretary. In September of that year, he was made Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Source biography: Emmanuel College website

Preceded by Sir Robin Butler

Cabinet Secretary 1998-2002

Succeeded by Sir Andrew Turnbull