§ 2.35 p.m.
§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR (VISCOUNT KILMUIR)My Lords, it is my duty to notify your Lordships that I have received the following letter, from Sir Francis Lascelles:
§ "DEAR LORD CHANCELLOR,
§ "It is my duty to ask your Lordship to announce to the House that I have tendered to the Prime Minister my resignation from the office of Clerk of the Parliaments as from the 31st December.
§ "I shall then have been in the service of the House for forty years, for twenty of which I shall have held a post at the Table.
§ "It has been a privilege and honour to me to serve the House, and I would ask your Lordship to express to the House my deep appreciation of the kindness and consideration which I have received.
§ "Yours sincerely,
§ FRANCIS W. LASCELLES."
§ It is my further duty to notify your Lordships that Her Majesty The Queen has been pleased to appoint Mr. Victor Martin Reeves Goodman, C.B., O.B.E., M.G., to succeed Sir Francis from that date.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR COMMONWEALTH RELATIONS (THE EARL OF HOME)Your Lordships, I am sure, have heard of Sir Francis Lascelles's retirement with the greatest regret and will wish to express to him your appreciation of his long and distinguished service to this House. I propose, therefore, as our best course, and one which is in accordance with precedent, to put down on the Order Paper a Resolution in appropriate terms for the first day after the Christmas Recess, when also the new Clerk of the Parliaments will be sworn in.
§ VISCOUNT ALEXANDER OF HILLSBOROUGHMy Lords, I am much obliged. I entirely concur.