A committee of MPs has called for the recruitment of the Australian parliamentary official Carol Mills as the new clerk and chief executive of the House of Commons to be terminated and for the role to be split into two, in a blow to the Speaker, John Bercow.
The call comes after Bercow told MPs in September that he was pausing the recruitment process for a new clerk when MPs objected to the appointment of Mills on the grounds that she did not know enough about parliamentary privilege and procedure.
A report published on Wednesday by the House of Commons governance committee recommends that two roles be created: the clerk of the House of Commons, who would advise MPs on parliamentary procedure and who would not hold the title of chief executive, and a director general, who would run Commons services and report to the clerk.
The committee, which is chaired by the former foreign secretary Jack Straw, also recommends that the paused recruitment process for a replacement for Sir Robert Rogers, who left the role in August, be terminated and started again for the two new roles. The deputy clerk David Natzler has served as acting clerk since Rogers’ retirement. The clerk of the House of Commons has traditionally been responsible for both advising on parliamentary procedure and managing around 1,550 staff working in the Commons.
The question of whether the role of clerk and chief executive of the House of Commons should be updated has provoked ongoing rows. The appointment of Mills to the role was backed by the House of Commons commission, which Bercow heads.
Bercow has previously said he is in favour of splitting the role – something opposed by other members of his commission – and defended the proposed appointment of Mills on the basis that parliament’s affairs have become more complex over the years and highly skilled management is now as important as understanding of parliamentary procedure.
David Blunkett, the former home secretary, who is stepping down from the Commons next May, said the report’s proposals did not go far enough and represented a disappointing compromise.
He said: “Making a new post of chief operating officer is a minor step forward but subordinating the management of the Commons to the undoubtedly valued role of the clerk of the house, responsible for process and constitutional issues, is a reflection of the conservatism of the past rather than addressing the challenges of the future.
“What was really needed was a highly experienced, respected chief executive whilst retaining the standing and therefore the status of the separate appointment of the clerk. I think the new parliament will come to regret that the committee did not bite the bullet.”
The suggested appointment of Mills to the role proved controversial. She was accused of providing misleading evidence to a parliamentary committee in Australia and the most senior official in the Australian Senate warned that her appointment would be an affront to the profession of parliamentary clerks.
