Sir Michael Graham Pownall KCB (born 11 October 1949) is a British public servant and from 2007 to 2011 was Clerk of the Parliaments

Clerk of the Parliaments

The Clerk of the Parliaments is the chief clerk of the House of Lords in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The position has existed since at least 1315, and duties include preparing the minutes of Lords proceedings, advising on proper parliamentary procedure and pronouncing the Royal Assent...

 in the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 of the United Kingdom. He retired on 15 April 2011.

Career

He became a Clerk in the House of Lords

House of Lords

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 in 1971. From 1980 to 1983 he was seconded to the Cabinet Office as Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Lords

Leader of the House of Lords

The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,...

 and the Government Chief Whip, serving two Leaders, Lord Soames

Christopher Soames, Baron Soames

Arthur Christopher John Soames, Baron Soames, GCMG, GCVO, CH, CBE, PC was a British politician belonging to the Conservative Party and the son-in-law of Winston Churchill. A European Commissioner and the last Governor of Southern Rhodesia, he had previously been the longtime Member of Parliament...

 and Baroness Young

Janet Young, Baroness Young

Janet Mary Baker Young, Baroness Young PC , was a British Conservative politician. She served as the first ever female Leader of the House of Lords from 1981 to 1983, first as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and from 1982 as Lord Privy Seal...

, and one Chief Whip

Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms

The Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms is a UK government post since 1945 held by the Government Chief Whip in the House of Lords. Prior to 17 March 1834, the Gentlemen-at-Arms were known as the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners....

, Lord Denham

Bertram Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham

Bertram Stanley Mitford Bowyer, 2nd Baron Denham KBE PC is a British Conservative politician and member of the House of Lords as one of the remaining hereditary peers...

. He was Reading Clerk from 1997 to 2003, and Clerk Assistant from 2003 to 2007.

Pownall was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2011 Birthday Honours

2011 Birthday Honours

The Birthday Honours 2011 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 7 June 2011 in New Zealand and 11 June 2011 in United Kingdom to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2011.-Privy Councillors:...

.