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House of Lords: Staff

Answer

The two staff in Black Rod's department who are not administrative staff or doorkeepers are Black Rod and the Yeoman Usher. Black Rod's annual salary is disclosed in the annual remuneration report annexed to the resource accounts. For 2010-11 Black Rod's salary fell within the range £85-90,000 full year equivalent. A residence, which is owned by the House of Lords, is provided for Black Rod. The administration pays the annual service charge of £5,458. Black Rod pays for his TV licence, housekeeping and utility bills and council tax. The residence also incurs a personal tax liability. The Yeoman Usher is paid within House of Lords Band A2 £47,164-£60,221 and is also in receipt of late duty and uniform allowances totalling £3,951. Executive responsibilities of Black Rod include: acting as the sovereign's representative within Parliament, taking responsibility for the planning and organisation of all ceremonial events, including the state opening of Parliament and royal and state visits; managing the residual royal estate; delivery of Task 3 of the House of Lords Strategic Plan 2010-15 which is to ““Ensure that security arrangements are appropriate to the assessed level of threat and the effective conduct of business; and develop and maintain contingency and business continuity plans so as to minimise the impact of disruption caused by unplanned incidents””; maintaining access to, and order in, the Chamber and throughout the House of Lords estate; managing the House's business continuity and contingency planning, chairing the bicameral Business Resilience Group and managing the Incident Management Framework and its training exercises; sitting on the House of Lords Management Board; maintaining effective liaison with the Serjeant at Arms in the House of Commons and the Parliamentary Security Director; managing the police security contract; overseeing and managing press conferences, filming requests and other events; advising other departments within the House on security and order; maintaining the pass access control system and oversight of sponsorship for passes; managing car parking facilities in the House of Lords estate. Executive responsibilities for the Yeoman Usher are to act as deputy to Black Rod in all areas of his responsibilities within the House of Lords administration. In particular, he line manages the team of doorkeepers within the House and oversees all personnel and budgetary issues within Black Rod's department.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

16444; 736 c237-8WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Pay Staff Black Rod

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk