Baroness D’Souza sits as Lord Speaker for first time
5 September 2011 (updated on 5 September 2011)
The new Lord Speaker, Baroness D’Souza – pictured sending the first tweet on the House of Lords twitter channel alongside the Clerk of the Parliaments, David Beamish – will preside over business in the House of Lords chamber for the first time this afternoon (Monday 5 September).
The Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Strathclyde, will lead the tributes to the former Lord Speaker, Baroness Hayman.
Lord Laming will sit in the Lords as the Convenor of the Crossbench Peers for the first time. The position was formerly held by Baroness D’Souza.
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The Chairman of Committees, Lord Brabazon of Tara, will move a series of motions to appoint Baroness D’Souza in place of Baroness Hayman and Lord Laming in place of Baroness D’Souza on a number of domestic committees.
Baroness D’Souza is the second elected Lord Speaker since the post was established in 2006. Elected for a term of five years on 13 July, she officially took up post on 1 September.
Lord Laming has been elected the Convenor of the Independent Crossbench Peers in the House of Lords. He officially took up office on 1 September.
Preparing to take her seat on the woolsack, Baroness D’Souza said:
“I am delighted to have been elected as the new Lord Speaker and I am very much looking forward to presiding over business in the chamber for the first time.
“I believe strongly that the public should know and understand much more about how the House of Lords checks and challenges the work of government, and I am looking forward to building on Baroness Hayman’s excellent work in establishing the role of Lord Speaker as the public-focused ambassador for the House.”
Further information
The Lord Speaker is independent of party politics and lays aside any party or group affiliation and refrains from all political activity on appointment.