On 15 February 2016, my dad (Maurice MacLean) died aged 96. On 17 April our son Simon will do the Great Edinburgh Run to raise money for his grandpa’s favourite charity, the Red Cross. Can I explain the background?
Maurice always hated what war did to people, but he also believed that sometimes war was necessary to confront a great evil. He summed up his thinking in a talk he gave long after the war:
This is an interview with Colin MacLean which took place in the Curious Tea Rooms in Edinburgh over coffee to explore the various perspectives he holds around the theme of education. Here you can find out about and enjoy the seasoned comments of someone who has spent many years in the civil service and in educational roles. Read more…
On the 3rd of October 2013, Colin MacLean gave a talk on ‘what civil servants do’. This is a summary and podcast of the event where Colin was kind enough to take the time to share his thoughts and insights with everyone:
The role of civil servants in Scotland is to support Ministers, to support the democratic process and to improve outcomes for Scotland. These are not in conflict but they all need to be addressed. The work of the civil service is governed by a Code of Values: impartiality, integrity, objectivity and honesty. Read more…
The first is about tough decisions. Resources are limited but people always want better outcomes (to be healthier, better educated, safer, with better transport and housing etc). Where would you focus public resources (people and money) and what would you spend less on? Do you think government should be ‘bigger’ or ‘smaller’. There are no right answers – but there are very different and equally legitimate answers. Read more…
