David Millar (civil servant)

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David Millar OBE (1929–2016) was a Scottish civil servant who helped shape how parliaments work in the UK, Europe, and Scotland. He served as a clerk in the UK House of Commons from 1953 to 1973 and then in the European Parliament from 1973 to 1989, where he rose to be Director of Research. He played a key role in the move to direct elections for MEPs, which began in 1979.

Born in Edinburgh, Millar was educated at Melville College and studied history at the University of Edinburgh. He formed a lifelong friendship with the pro-European advocate John Mackintosh, and Millar later suggested Mackintosh’s quotation for engraving in the Scottish Parliament building.

After retiring to Scotland in 1990, Millar taught at the University of Edinburgh’s Europa Institute and wrote on political theory and practice. He helped plan for a Scottish Parliament, starting with a 1991 paper for the John Wheatley Centre and later, in 1995, being asked to draft Standing Orders for a Scottish Parliament. In 1998 he joined the Government’s Expert Panel on Procedures and Standing Orders and advised the Consultative Steering Group.

Together with Sir Bernard Crick, Millar drafted the Crick-Millar Standing Orders, aiming to give Scotland procedures that differed from Westminster’s strong executive control over legislation. These ideas influenced the arrangements used when the Scottish Parliament was created in 1999 and continued to shape parliamentary reform, including later commissions.

Millar also had ties to the Liberal Democrats, for whom he stood as a candidate for the European Parliament at one point. He was honoured with the OBE in the 1989 Birthday Honours for his work with the European Parliament.