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Scottish Qualifications Authority
23/06/2008
Minister for Schools and Skills Maureen Watt today announced that John McCormick, the Chair of the Scottish Qualifications Authority, will be reappointed when his current term of appointment ends on August 31, 2008.
The reappointment will be for four months from September 1, 2008 until December 31, 2008 at which time Mr McCormick will step down from the SQA Board to focus on his other commitments. This relatively short period of reappointment will cover the completion of the SQA examination Diet for 2008, will accommodate the process to recruit a new Chair and allow sufficient time for a brief handover to the new Chair.
The post is part-time and attracts a remuneration of £13,364 per annum for a time commitment of 1 day per week. Mr McCormick holds no other Ministerial appointments.
Originally a history teacher, Mr McCormick moved into educational broadcasting with the BBC in Scotland in 1970 where he held several senior posts including Secretary and Head of Corporate Affairs. He was also Secretary of the BBC in London between 1987 and 1992 responsible to the Chair and Director General for managing the business of - and relationships between - the Board of Governors and the Board of Management. He was also responsible for the BBC's overall accountability and the BBC's links with its sponsoring Government department. Mr McCormick returned to Scotland in 1992 and served as Controller of BBC Scotland until 2004. He is Vice-Chair of Scottish Opera and a Commissioner of the Electoral Commission with responsibility for Scotland.
The SQA is an executive Non-Departmental Public Body established under the Education (Scotland) Act 1996. It is responsible for the development, accreditation, assessment and certification of qualifications other than degrees in Scotland.
Ministerial public appointments are made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland's Code of Practice.
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 there is any to be declared) to be made public. Mr McCormick has not declared any political activity within the last five years.