Terence Burns, Baron Burns

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Terence Burns, Baron Burns GCB (born 13 March 1944) is a British economist.

The son of Patrick Owen Burns and Doris Burns, he was educated at the Houghton-le-Spring Grammar School and the University of Manchester, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics in 1965. After his studies he held various research posts in the London Business School until 1970. He worked then as lecturer in economics until 1974 and as senior lecturer until 1979. Between 1976 and 1979, he was the director of its Centre for Economic Forecasting. In 1979, he was appointed professor of economics and in 1989 he became a Fellow.

Burns was member of the HM Treasury Academic Panel from 1976 to 1979 and Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury and Head of the Government Economic Service from 1980 to 1991. He was visiting fellow of Nuffield College, Oxford from 1989 to 1997 and Permanent Secretary of HM Treasury from 1991 and 1998. Between 1999 and 2001, he was also non-executive director of Legal and General Group plc and between 2000 and 2005 of The British Land Company plc. Burns was also chair of the National Lottery Commission between 2000 and 2001, and of Glas Cymru (Welsh Water) in 2001. Since 1999, he has been non-executive director of Pearson plc, since 2002 chair of Abbey National plc and since 2003 Independent Adviser on BBC Charter Review. For Marks and Spencer plc, he was deputy chair from 2005 to 2006, and has been its chair since 2006.

Between 1992 and 1998, he was board member of the Manchester Business School and between 1996 and 2001, he was non-executive director of Queens Park Rangers FC. For the Society of Business Economists, Burns was vice-president from 1985 to 1998, and has been its president since 1998. From 1998 to 2002, he was governor of the Royal Academy of Music, and has been chairman of its governing body since 2002. For the Monteverdi Choir and Orchestra, he was trustee from 1998 to 2001, and has been its chairman since 2001. Burns is also govenor of the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

Burns was member of the Scottish Fee Support Review from 1998 to 2000, and chair of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales in 2000. Since 1999, he has been member of the The Hansard Society Commission on the Scrutiny Role of Parliament. Having been knighted in 1983, he was made a life peer as Baron Burns, of Pitshanger in the London Borough of Ealing on 13 June 1998. In 1995, Burns has received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB).

Since 1969, he has been married to Anne Elizabeth Powell. They have a son and two daughters.