The former top civil servant who led the public inquiry into child protection procedures after the Soham murders has been headhunted to chair the Legal Services Commission (LSC).
Sir Michael Bichard, previously chief executive of the Benefits Agency and permanent secretary at the Department for Education and Employment, takes over on 1 April for five years. The 12-member commission oversees the LSC's strategic direction.
Sir Michael, who qualified as a solicitor before embarking on a 30-year career in the public sector, acknowledged that a key challenge is how to balance 'inevitably limited' resources with the need for publicly funded legal advice.
He told the Gazette: 'Inevitably there will be some tensions. I have always tried to be as transparent and honest as I can and be as approachable as I can.'
He said his work on the Soham inquiry showed he was capable of being independent of government.
Philip Hoult
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