§ 3.17 p.m.
§ Lord Williams of MostynMy Lords, I informed your Lordships on 12th March of Sir Michael Davies's intention to retire from the office of Clerk of the Parliaments with effect from Monday 14th July. I told the House on that occasion that it had been agreed that 835 a trawl for Sir Michael's successor should be held, with applications being invited from the House of Commons and the devolved Assemblies as well as from the House of Lords.
There were six applications in all—five from the Lords and one from a devolved Assembly. One applicant from the Lords was not short-listed for interview but a board, consisting of myself, the other party leaders, the Convenor of the Cross-Bench Peers and the noble Baroness, Lady Prashar, the First Civil Service Commissioner, interviewed the other five. The unanimous recommendation of the board is that Mr Paul Hayter should succeed Sir Michael Davies as Clerk of the Parliaments.
Following Mr Paul Hayter's appointment as Clerk of the Parliaments, I have been asked by my noble and learned friend the Lord Chancellor to say that he will propose to the House that Mr Michael Pownall should become Clerk Assistant and that Mr David Beamish should be appointed Reading Clerk. Both of those appointments have the support of the board to which I have already referred. The Lord Chancellor will invite the House to approve the necessary Motions of appointment on 14th July. There will be an opportunity to pay tribute to Sir Michael's distinguished career in the House on 10th July.