Ralph Palmer, 12th Baron Lucas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Lucas
FCA
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Official portrait, 2023
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| Member of the House of Lords | |
| as a hereditary peer 21 February 1992 – 11 November 1999 |
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| Preceded by | The 11th Baroness Lucas |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| as an elected hereditary peer 11 November 1999 |
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| Election | 1999 |
| Preceded by | Seat established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ralph Matthew Palmer
7 June 1951 |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Conservative |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater |
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Ralph Matthew Palmer, born on June 7, 1951, is known as Lord Lucas and Dingwall. He is a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the UK Parliament. He is one of the special group of "hereditary peers" who were chosen to stay in the House of Lords after a law change in 1999. He sits with the Conservative group.
Lord Lucas inherited his titles in 1991 when his mother passed away. From 1994 to 1997, he worked as a "whip" for the Conservative government in the House of Lords. A whip makes sure that members of their party vote in a certain way. After that, he continued to serve as a "backbencher," meaning he is a regular member who doesn't hold a special government job. He is also known professionally as Ralph Lucas. In 2000, he became the owner and publisher of The Good Schools Guide.
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Early Life and Education
Ralph Lucas is the son of Anne Palmer, 11th Baroness Lucas and 7th Lady Dingwall and Major Robert Jocelyn Palmer. He went to Twyford School and Eton College, which are both well-known schools in the UK.
In 1969, before going to university, he took a "gap year." During this time, he traveled across Afghanistan and Iran. He was part of an expedition that collected plants for famous gardens like Kew Gardens and the Royal Horticultural Society. After his travels, he went on to study physics at Balliol College, Oxford, which is part of the University of Oxford.
His Work and Role in Politics
Ralph Lucas first trained to become a chartered accountant. This means he learned how to manage money and finances for businesses. He worked for several accounting firms and then at a company called S. G. Warburg & Co. Ltd. from 1976 to 1988.
When his mother died in 1991, he became the 12th Baron Lucas and 8th Lord Dingwall. He is currently the owner of The Good Schools Guide.
Making a Difference in Parliament
From 1994 to 1997, Lord Lucas was a "Lord in Waiting." This means he was a government whip in the House of Lords. He helped the government pass its laws. After that, from 1997 to 1998, he was a "shadow minister" for International Development. This means he was part of the opposition party, watching what the government was doing in that area.
Today, he is still an active backbencher in the House of Lords. He is especially interested in topics like education, freedom, how the government uses technology, and rules about planning and parking.
He has served on important committees that looked into things like digital skills, improving towns by the sea, and how technology affects democracy. He also leads a group that works on changing laws about how rules are enforced.
Lord Lucas helped create a special rule called the "Lucas amendment." This rule, added to the Compensation Act of 2006, says that if someone apologizes or offers help after an accident, it doesn't automatically mean they are admitting they were wrong in a legal way. This helps people say sorry without fear of being sued.
He also helped set up a project called "Family Man and Fathers Inside." This project helps people in prison stay connected with their families.
Lord Lucas has also been involved in environmental projects. He helped connect The Eden Project with the town of Eastbourne. With his wife, Lady Lucas, he started the "Making Natural History" project. This project uses creative works to teach people about environmental issues.
The Good Schools Guide
In 1995, Ralph Lucas married Amanda Atha, who helped start The Good Schools Guide. After she passed away in 2000, he became the owner, publisher, and editor of the guide. In 2006, he added international schools to the guide.
As the editor, Ralph Lucas has shown how much state schools and schools for children with special educational needs have improved. In 1986, the guide only listed ten state schools. By 2016, it reviewed over 300 state schools. In 2019, nearly 400 of the 1,297 schools reviewed were state schools, and 140 were for special educational needs.
Ralph Lucas believes that good state schools are now strong competitors for talented students. He has also warned about the dangers of bad tutors for young children and the rising costs of private schools.
He became a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (FCA) in 1986. He also competed on the TV show University Challenge in 2004 as part of the House of Lords team.
Family Life
Lord Lucas has been married three times. His first marriage was to Clarissa Marie Lockett on July 22, 1978. They had two children and later divorced in 1995.
In 1995, he married Amanda Atha. She passed away in 2000. In 2001, he married Antonia Kennedy Rubinstein. He has one daughter with his third wife.
