Maurice Peston, Baron Peston of Mile End

Maurice Peston, Baron Peston of Mile End (born in 1931), is an English economist and parliamentarian.citeweb|url=http://www.thepeerage.com/p19170.htm|title=Professor Maurice Harry Peston, Baron Peston|publisher=thepeerage.com|accessdate=2008-10-08] His research interests include macroeconomic policy and the economics of education.cite web|url=http://www.econ.qmul.ac.uk/staff/peston.htm|title=Department of Economics|date=2008-07-22|accessdate=2008-10-09|publisher=Queen Mary College, London]

Biography

Maurice Harry Peston was educated at Hackney Downs School, and then graduated from the London School of Economics and Princeton University.

Married to a former NHS employee, his son is Robert Peston, the BBC's business editor. The couple believed passionately in state education, and sent their son to the local comprehensive, Highgate Wood School, in Crouch End, north London. [citeweb|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2008/01/24/ftpeston124.xml|title=Robert Peston: 'I'm not going to become smooth and phoney'|publisher=The Telegraph|date=2008-01-24|accessdate=2008-10-08]

Academic career

Peston founded the economics department at Queen Mary College, London, and advised various government departments and Labour Secretaries of State from the 1960s through to the 1990s.citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2004/jan/11/politics.economicpolicy1|title=Treasure our golden oldies|publisher=The Guardian|date=2004-01-11|accessdate=2008-10-08] He remains an Emeritus Professor of Economics at the College.

House of Lords

Peston was created Baron Peston, of Mile End in Greater London on 24 March, 1987. He immediately became Opposition Spokesperson for Energy (until 1997) and Education & Science (until 1997).cite web | url=http://biographies.parliament.uk/parliament/default.asp?id=26960|title=Member Profile - Lord Peston|publisher= UK Parliament|accessdate=2008-10-09] He also served as Opposition Spokesperson on the Treasury (1990-2) and Trade & Industry (1992-7). He chaired the House of Lords Offices Refreshments Sub-committee from 1993 to 97.

When Labour took over government, he chaired the influential House of Lords Committee on Economic Affairs from 1998 until 2005. Since then he has worked on the Lords Constitution Committee, and on the committee reviewing the BBC Charter.

References