§ Mr. SpeakerI have to advise the House that I have received the following letter from Sir Michael Cummins, our Serjeant at Arms:
I write to request your agreement to my retirement on 31 December of this year, by which time I shall be sixty—five.It has been a great privilege to serve you and the House as Serjeant at Arms in recent years. I wish to thank you personally for your support and advice during that time, and to acknowledge the large debt of gratitude I owe to my colleagues and staff, whose support and friendship over the past twenty-three years have been invaluable.There will be an occasion to pay formal tributes to Sir Michael in due course.I can also advise the House that Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of Major General Anthony Peter Grant Peterkin, CB, OBE to succeed Sir Michael.