Name Kevin Dunion | Children Gary Dunion | |
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An interview with rector kevin dunion
Kevin Harry Dunion (born 20 December 1955) is the Convener of the Standards Commission for Scotland and was the first Scottish Information Commissioner 2003−2012. He is an Honorary Professor in the University of Dundee School of Law and a member of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. He was formerly Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews 2008−11.
Contents
- An interview with rector kevin dunion
- Kevin dunion scottish information commissioner on the right to government information
- Early life
- Career
- Information Commissioner
- Academic bodies
- Standards Commission
- Awards and honours
- Personal life
- References
Kevin dunion scottish information commissioner on the right to government information
Early life
Dunion was born in Bridge of Allan, and brought up in Alloa and Glenrothes. He was educated at the University of St Andrews (MA (Hons) Modern History 1978) and at the University of Edinburgh (MSc (Dist) African Studies 1991).
Career
Dunion spent periods in the civil service and university administration. He worked for the pro-devolution magazine Radical Scotland. He joined Oxfam as Campaigns Manager and then took up the post of Chief Executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland. From 1996 to 2000 he also served as Chairman of Friends of the Earth International, heading delegations to the United Nations and European Commission.
Information Commissioner
Dunion was appointed as the first Scottish Information Commissioner in February 2003. He was reappointed in 2008. Towards the end of his second term he proposed extra powers that he though that the next Commissioner would need. He left office on 23 February 2012 after two terms - a total of nine years in office, during which time he handled some 1,500 cases.
Before becoming the Scottish Information Commissioner, Kevin Dunion was for many years a notable proponent for freedom of information, and gave evidence to the Justice Committee scrutinising the passage of the Bill through the Scottish Parliament. He wrote the book Troublemakers – The Struggle For Environmental Justice In Scotland.
Academic bodies
He was elected Lord Rector of the University of St Andrews in October 2008; his term ran until 2011. In 2012 Dunion was appointed Honorary Professor in the University of Dundee School of Law. He is executive director of their Freedom of Information Centre.
In April 2013 he was appointed as a non-lawyer member of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.
Standards Commission
He became a member of the Standards Commission for Scotland on 1 September 2015. In November 2016 it was announced that he would become the Convener of the Commission, taking up the position on 1 February 2017.
Awards and honours
In 2000 he was awarded an OBE for his work with Friends of the Earth.
In 2011 he was awarded an honorary degree, LLD, by the University of St Andrews.
Personal life
Dunion is married to Linda Malloch, who was formerly married to Iain Gray, the former leader of the Labour Group in the Scottish Parliament.