SERJEANT AT ARMS
(RETIREMENT)
Mr. Speaker
I have to inform the House that I have received a letter from the Serjeant at Arms in the following terms:
“Dear Mr. Speaker,
As discussed with your predecessor several months ago, and yourself more recently, I have the honour to make application that you will now be pleased to sanction my retirement on 1st August 1976 from my office by Patent of Her Majesty's Serjeant at Arms attending the Speaker of the House of Commons.
I am now over 65 years old and I feel that the time has arrived when it is appropriate that I should be relieved of my appointment, which I have had the honour to hold since 1962. I make this request with much regret.
I am deeply conscious not only of the great privilege I have had of serving here as Serjeant at Arms and Housekeeper but also of the friendliness and understanding which has been shown to me by Members in all quarters of the House, and which has greatly helped me in my job.”
The Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons (Mr. Michael Foot)
I am sure that the whole House will have heard with regret of the decision of the Serjeant at Arms to offer his resignation. We shall have an opportunity to express our thanks as a House to Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander Gordon Lennox at a later date, when an appropriate motion will be tabled. I therefore propose that we should reserve our expressions of appreciation until that time.
[column 680]Mrs. Thatcher
I am glad that we are to have an opportunity later to say “Thank you” . But perhaps we might now express our appreciation of the years of devoted and distinguished service which the Sir Alexander Gordon LennoxSerjeant at Arms has given to us in the House of Commons.
Mr. Mellish
I am sure that we all wish the Serjeant at Arms well. May I ask who gets his job?
Mr. Speaker
An announcement is being made from Buckingham Palace as I am addressing the House now——
Mr. Mellish
Oh!
Mr. Speaker
—and it will be the Deputy Serjeant at Arms, Lieutenant-Colonel Thorne.
Hon. Members
Hear, hear.
Mr. Mellish
With respect, I thought that this had been discussed before and that it was decided to be a matter for the House of Commons. I am delighted to hear that at long last a deputy is to get the job. It is extremely rare for deputies to get any jobs. But I thought that we ourselves had a measure of control. It is about time that appointments of this kind came under the control of the House.
Mr. Speaker
May I say, first, on the subject of deputies getting jobs, that I am in favour of that system myself.
May I say, secondly, that there has been the consultation which was agreed on a previous occasion. There has been consultation with this House, and the Palace has acted on advice from this House.