The Earl of Kinnoull (CB)

My Lords, on behalf of these Benches, I echo all the thanks expressed so far today. The noble Lord, Lord Kennedy, praised the Deputy Speakers who so ably guide us through proceedings but, as noble Lords know, they themselves are dependent on the Lord Speaker’s brief. This brief is prepared daily by the team in the Clerk of the Parliaments’ Office, which does its very best to cover every possible procedural eventuality or oddity that your Lordships can throw at it, whether described as “shenanigans” or not. I should say that I had to look up “shenanigans” and Google takes you straight to a theatre in Hoxton Square called Shenanigans Cabaret, which says it delivers “comedy and variety acts”—I felt that was rather appropriate. This team has helped us very expertly through some very challenging moments so far this year, and I thank them and indeed all the energetic office of the Clerk of the Parliaments at the heart of our House. It is due to the organisational mastery of the Lord Speaker’s Office that Deputy Speakers are in the right place at the right time, and I can say, from embarrassed experience, that it is never the Lord Speaker’s Office at fault if they are not. Another thing that the office is particularly good at is gossip; it is said that a rumour started in the West Front corridor is already known in the Lord Speaker’s Office before one can sprint there. All this is only a small part of the Lord Speaker’s very busy office, who are always of good cheer and serve arguably the best coffee in our House, and I thank them as well. One group of colleagues who are constant, and with us on that late shift, are the clerks at the Table and in the Table Office. They are a very loyal and stable band; indeed, Chloe Mawson remarked to me yesterday that she joined the House as an assistant clerk and, 20 years on, has moved up to being Clerk Assistant. Since the general election, the Table Office clerks have helped to draft nearly 10,000 Written Questions and well over 600 Oral Questions, a pace that I fear will not let up in September. I thank them all as well. Finally, there to capture it all is the Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit. Theirs is no easy task, carried out with total professionalism across the Chamber, Moses Room and our committee rooms. Even when speeches are not quite hitting the mark, somehow their camera operators always manage to find a good angle. Indeed, they capture the essence and many moods of our House so well, and I thank them. In closing, I add my thanks to my colleagues in the usual channels for the many kindnesses they have extended to the Cross Benches, which are numerous and we are very grateful for them. I have learned about Jaffa cakes and now get offered them when I go and see the shadow Chief Whip. I am worried that I am being buttered up in some way—but I do not mind, because I love Jaffa cakes. I wish all the staff of the House and all noble Lords a restful and splendid summer.