Statistics Authority chair Sir Michael Scholar to retire

Scholar (pictured) was appointed chair-designate in August 2007 and, after a spell working in a “shadow capacity”, moved into the role full time in April 2008.

He served as permanent secretary to the Welsh Office between 1993 and 1996 before taking the same role at the Department of Trade and Industry

In the 1980s Scholar served as private secretary to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

The UK Statistics Authority, which provides oversight of the Office for National Statistics and scrutiny of all official statistics, said it hopes to have Scholar’s successor in place by early September.