Clerk of the Parliaments

Retirement of Simon Peter Burton

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To resolve that this House has received with sincere regret the announcement of the retirement of Simon Peter Burton from the office of Clerk of the Parliaments and thinks it right to record the just sense which it entertains of the zeal, ability, diligence, and integrity with which the said Simon Peter Burton has executed the important duties of his office.

My Lords, on 24 July last year, I informed the House that Simon Burton had announced his intention of retiring from the office of the Clerk of the Parliaments with effect from 1 April this year. In November, I announced that Chloe Mawson would become his successor. I indicated at the time that there would be an opportunity to pay tribute to Simon, and I am pleased to do so today.

The position of the Clerk of the Parliaments has a long and proud history. I know that Simon felt privileged to be in post as the 20th holder of that office on the 200th anniversary of the Clerk of the Parliaments Act 1824—although in 1824 the role was very different from that of today.

Since Simon joined your Lordships’ House in January 1988, over 38 years ago, he has been dedicated in every role he has held. On leaving university, having applied for the Civil Service Fast Stream, his career plans changed when he was sent information about work in the House of Lords. From then on, he was hooked. He started in the Committee Office, eventually becoming the first clerk of our important Constitution Committee and setting up the delegated legislation committees, which have become central to the work of this House.

Between 1996 and 1999, Simon took on the position of private secretary to the Leader of the House and the Chief Whip—no easy task, I can tell you. That is a key role in working with the leadership to manage the business and work of the House. It was obviously a time of significant change and, as some noble Lords will recall, not without controversy on constitutional issues affecting your Lordships’ House. Lord Carter, the then Government Chief Whip, praised Simon’s

“tireless, expert and dexterous work in facilitating the usual channels”—[Official Report, 30/7/1999; col. 1827.]

over those three years.

In many ways, those first 11 years perhaps set the tone for Simon’s career. There is no doubt that he has huge respect and admiration for the work of this House. Those qualities have helped steer us through political changes, internal changes, huge challenges, and nationally significant and emotional events. On becoming the senior officer of the House as the Clerk of the Parliaments, his commitment to managing that change has been more important than ever. With Covid, we had the transition to remote working, then the easing back to hybrid and then to a physical House. So many of the conventional wisdoms about how we work had been challenged and needed to be managed. Of course, despite being involved with the huge challenges of the R&R project, it was never anticipated that the joint responsibility would be bestowed on the Clerk of the Parliaments, but Simon fulfilled that additional role with his usual diligence.

Of course, not all change is universally welcomed. Some may recall that there was a time when our Table Clerk seating arrangements involved a hard, backless bench. Simon introduced the radical move to bring in individual ergonomic chairs. A “Yes Minister” sketch might have described this as a courageous move.

My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the Lord Privy Seal in her elegant tribute to Simon Burton, our departing Clerk of the Parliaments. We are all sad to see Simon go. As the noble Baroness said, he joined the House in 1988. I checked: there are now barely two dozen Peers who were here when the young, fresh-faced Simon first appeared. I say “young” deliberately as, whatever winds may blow, he is still as fresh-faced and cheerful in his mien as ever he was in 1988.

The House values its clerks and I hope they all know that. We value that unique, essential career and all the associated skills, of which Simon embodied so many. We value experience and loyalty such as Simon has exemplified, not just to us, the Peers, but to all those in our exceptional staff whom he has led with care and dedication. As the noble Baroness said, many management changes have been effected in his time, and I know the pride that Simon takes in having confronted outdated behaviours and promoted a more diverse and inclusive environment for all.

The noble Baroness the Leader referred to the many and varied roles that Simon has held. I again pick out the fact he was the first to clerk one of our most important committees, that on the constitution. Perhaps the noble Earl, Lord Kinnoull, will refer to his long service in EU scrutiny—from looking at some of the current press releases, maybe we will need those skills again.

Among the many changes in which Simon was involved were the creation of the Legislation Office, to which the noble Baroness referred, which was important, and the transformation of the digital services of the House of Lords. I first met Simon in 1997 when I became private secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, the present Marquess of Salisbury. There was not actually much digital then: we used to have to staple the Whip by hand and send it out by post. I reflect sometimes that, with today’s postal service, it would have been a wonder if the House had ever been quorate in the 1990s.

Now Simon starts a new and, I trust, less taxing part of his life. As one who has already retired twice, I can tell him that it is not too bad. I hope that he will return to visit us in future, through whatever form of entrance there then may be to your Lordships’ House. We look forward to working with Simon’s successor, Chloe Mawson, and our new Clerk Assistant, Duncan Sagar, who are both already widely known and respected by us all.

For now, in the sincerest tones of personal fondness and friendship, I thank Simon for his long service and wish him the very best for a long and ever-contented future.

My Lords, there have been on 65 Clerks of the Parliaments in the 700 years or more since the role was formed and, as the Leader said, only 20 since the 1824 Act—which governs the role now in statute and argued then for the salary to be the princely sum of £40. It was not set on whether it was inflation-linked, but I am sure that the new clerk will be glad that it was not. That period included the 77 years of the “father and son” role of the Scottish Rose family, almost hereditary in nature for the Clerks of the Parliaments. At that time, their role included a spell in which a sitting MP was also Clerk of the Parliaments in this House—taking joint services a step too far.

The role today, as the Leader said, is in many respects greatly different from that as set out in that legislation. It has been an uneasy one, perhaps—being chief adviser on procedure, master of Norman French but also head of procurement, overseeing security and being responsible for almost constant catering complaints. Simon’s career since 1988 in the House has been marked by courtesy and openness as well as a deep love of parliamentary practice. Those who chaired committees which he clerked, and those such as I who have worked closely with him more recently, have found common features—tirelessness of work, professionalism, courtesy and a real sense of dedication.

Simon was also at the forefront of innovation and change—words sometimes unfamiliar over many years about the House of Lords but which have been led by Simon. He has overseen long-term security and safety of parliamentary archives, huge advances in digital services and professionalising and improving staffing conditions for all who work in this institution. This was put to very effective use when as Clerk Assistant he was responsible for parliamentary services through the very testing times of Covid. Ironically, for some, the House of Lords moved faster and more effectively than the House of Commons. We have learned lessons that benefit us today. We thank Simon and the whole team for that. He took up the Clerk of the Parliaments role when Covid restrictions were still in place, and the Duke of Edinburgh died on his second day in office. His role as part of the term of the connected ceremonies and procedures for that but also for the state funeral of Her Late Majesty and the accession of King Charles was seen not just by us as Members of this House but around the world. He put this institution in good stead, with great respect, having carried out those functions with great success.

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to follow the noble Lord, Lord Purvis, and indeed to hear the wonderful remarks from the Leader and from the noble Lord, Lord True, earlier on. I am in the rare and happy position of agreeing with every word that has been said so far in support of the Motion paying tribute to Simon.

Simon was born in 1964. This, of course, was the year of that most important album and indeed the Oscar-winning film so relevant for his career: “A Hard Day’s Night”. Indeed, 40 years ago, on his very first day in the House, the House sat until nearly midnight—the regular pattern that we know so well.

Simon’s career was very much connected with the Select Committees of our House. On becoming the clerk of a Select Committee for the first time in what was then another era, he famously was told by his chair not to arrange meetings on Wednesdays. When he asked why, he was told, “You see, it ruins both weekends”.

Simon’s outstanding record as a committee clerk has been very well covered, and the noble Lord, Lord True, anticipated me here, because it would be wrong for me not to comment on his time as clerk of the European Union Committee. His chair at that time was Lord Grenfell, and they were very much responsible for the tuning of the structures that allowed for the effective scrutiny of the 900 or so legislative proposals that came out of Brussels every year; scrutiny, that is, by the main EU committee and its six sub-committees. Later on, in my seven years as a member and then, latterly, chair of the committee, I greatly benefited from the smooth machinery that Simon had such a hand in building.

Simon had become Clerk Assistant by the time that I became Deputy Speaker in 2019. At the time, it had been some time since a new Deputy Speaker had been appointed. Indeed, there was only one other Deputy Speaker below the age of 70, and they were a sprightly 68. Simon agreed to conduct a training course. I was blissfully unaware of just how busy the Clerk Assistant is, but Simon always seemed to have time for me and went carefully through the Deputy Speaker’s manual with me. Those sessions were punctuated by good humour and his great booming laughter. He made careful notes of a number of anomalies that we came across in the manual and an updated manual appeared a few months later, but as ever, Simon took no credit for what was his work.

My Lords, from these Benches I echo the comments of those noble Lords who have gone before me. I pay tribute to Simon Burton, whose service as Clerk of the Parliaments has been of lasting value to the House.

The strength of our parliamentary life depends not only on those who speak in debate but on those who ensure that our work is carried out with integrity, order and constitutional faithfulness. In that vital task, Simon has served with distinction. As Clerk of the Parliaments, he has been both guardian of ancient custom and wise guide through modern complexity. He has exercised that responsibility with clarity of judgment, intellectual rigour and an unfailing sense of proportion.

His counsel has reminded us that procedure is not an obstacle to good government but one of its essential safeguards. He has always displayed a can-do and hands-on attitude, exemplified by a query sent from our Benches to Simon relating to Prayers in the House. It turned out that this required removing an artwork from the upper West Front Corridor to read the only surviving original draft of the relevant Standing Order, which was on the artwork’s reverse. Simon dutifully obtained a screwdriver, removed it, read it and replaced it.

On behalf of all on these Benches, I acknowledge especially Simon’s attentiveness to the character of this House as a place of respectful disagreement and careful scrutiny. His advice has always been impartial, measured and deeply informed by a sense of the public good. As Clerk of the Parliaments, he met all new Bishops to give advice and support. In his previous role of Reading Clerk, he had the unenviable task of reading all our complicated summonses to the House.

As has been observed, Simon led his team with humanity and supported his colleagues with generosity and calm, particularly in moments of pressure. He has shown that true authority is most often exercised quietly, in the finest traditions of the House. At a time when confidence in institutions can be fragile, his service stands as a powerful example of professionalism, integrity and devotion to duty.

My Lords, as I conclude the tributes from your Lordships’ House to our departing Clerk of the Parliaments, it remains for me to thank Simon Burton for his much-valued service and contributions. From his appointment to the post in 2021 to his retirement this year, the activity of the House has increased dramatically. Simon exercised his duties as this House’s senior clerk with all the confidence, compassion and energy that exemplified his long career of service in this place.

Simon will be remembered for the procedural changes made during his tenure that have been referred to and for the continual support he selflessly offered to Members of your Lordships’ House. We shall greatly miss Simon’s humour, insight and sense of duty. His meetings were often punctuated with gales of laughter coming from his room. We wish him a richly deserved retirement after his 38 years of service to us.

Motion agreed nemine dissentiente.