House of Commons (Administration) Act 1978 (c. 36)

(1) There shall be a body of Commissioners named the House of Commons Commission to perform the functions conferred on it by this Act. [ F1 (1A) The Commission is to consist of seven parliamentary members, two external members and two official members. ] (2) The [ F2 parliamentary members are to be ] — (a) Mr. Speaker, (b) the Leader of the House of Commons, (c) a member of the House of Commons nominated by the Leader of the Opposition, (d) [ F3 four ] other members of the House of Commons appointed by the House of Commons, none of whom shall be a Minister of the Crown. [ F4 (2A) An external member may not be— (a) a member of the House of Commons, (b) a member of the House of Lords, (c) a member of staff in the House Departments, or (d) a member of staff of the House of Lords. (2B) An external member is to be appointed by resolution of the House of Commons. (2C) The official members are— (a) the Clerk of the House of Commons or, if that office is vacant, a member of staff in the House Departments who is appointed as an official member by the Commission, and (b) the Director General of the House of Commons or, if that office is vacant or no longer exists, a member of staff in the House Departments who is appointed as an official member by the Commission. ] (3) As soon as possible after the end of the year 1978–79, and of each subsequent financial year, the Commission shall prepare and present to the House of Commons a report on the exercise of its functions in that year, and shall cause it to be printed. (4) In this section— “ Leader of the House of Commons ” means the Minister of the Crown for the time being nominated as such by the Prime Minister, “ Leader of the Opposition ” means the person who is the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons for the purposes of section 2 of the M1 Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975. [ F5 “ member of staff of the House of Lords ” means a person who is employed under a contract of employment with the Corporate Officer of the House of Lords. ] (5) Schedule 1 to this Act has effect as respects the Commission. Textual Amendments F1 S. 1(1A) inserted (26.3.2015 for specified purposes, 10.7.2015 in so far as not already in force) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 1(2) , 3(2) (3) F2 Words in s. 1(2) substituted (26.3.2015 for specified purposes, 10.7.2015 in so far as not already in force) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 1(3)(a) , 3(2) (3) F3 Word in s. 1(2)(d) substituted (26.3.2015 for specified purposes, 10.7.2015 in so far as not already in force) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 1(3)(b) , 3(2) (3) F4 S. 1(2A)-(2C) inserted (26.3.2015 for specified purposes, 10.7.2015 in so far as not already in force) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 1(4) , 3(2) (3) F5 Words in s. 1(4) inserted (26.3.2015 for specified purposes, 10.7.2015 in so far as not already in force) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 1(5) , 3(2) (3) Marginal Citations M1 1975 c. 27 .

[ F6 (A1) The Commission must from time to time set strategic priorities and objectives in connection with services provided by the House Departments. ] (1) The Commission shall appoint all staff in the House Departments, and shall determine their numbers and their remuneration and other terms and conditions of service. (2) The Commission shall ensure that the complementing, grading and pay of staff in the House Departments are kept broadly in line with those in the [ F7 statutory home civil service ] , and that, so far as consistent with the requirements of the House of Commons, the other conditions of service of staff in the House Departments are also kept broadly in line with those in the [ F7 statutory home civil service ] . (3) The Commission shall ensure that the pensions and other similar benefits of staff in or formerly in the House Departments are kept in line with the provisions of [ F8 , or provided under, ] the principal Civil Service Pension Scheme (as it applies for the time being to the [ F7 statutory home civil service ] ), but need not do so in the case of staff for whom provision for such benefits was made under another scheme before they entered service in the House Departments and continues to be so made in respect of such service. (4) Subsection (1) above does not apply to the power to appoint, or the tenure of office of, the Clerk of the House of Commons, any Clerk Assistant, the Serjeant at Arms or Mr. Speaker’s personal staff. [ F9 (5) The statutory home civil service” means the civil service (excluding Her Majesty's diplomatic service) within the meaning of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (see section 1(4) of that Act). ] Textual Amendments F6 S. 2(A1) inserted (10.7.2015) by House of Commons Commission Act 2015 (c. 24) , ss. 2 , 3(3) F7 Words in s. 2(2)(3) substituted (11.11.2010) by Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (c. 25) , s. 52 , Sch. 2 para. 5(2) ; S.I. 2010/2703 , art. 2(a) ; S.I. 2010/2703 , art. 2(a) F8 Words in s. 2(3) inserted (1.4.2014) by Public Service Pensions Act 2013 (c. 25) , s. 41(2) , Sch. 8 para. 13 (with Sch. 11 para. 8 ); S.I. 2014/839 , art. 4(2)(f) F9 S. 2(5) inserted (11.11.2010) by Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (c. 25) , s. 52 , Sch. 2 para. 5(3) ; S.I. 2010/2703 , art. 2(a)