LONDON British parliamentary Speaker John Bercow will face MPs on Monday for the first time since a row erupted over his recommended candidate for the post of clerk of the House amid growing disquiet among critics of the choice of Australian Carol Mills.
Mr Bercow will reportedly make a statement in the chamber about the choice of Ms Mills, who is head of the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) in Canberra.
Members have voiced concerns about her lack of knowledge of Westminster procedures and believe she is too inexperienced for the prestigious $A365,060-a-year position, which combines the clerk's duties as a key constitutional adviser with the role of Commons chief executive.
She has been dubbed the "Canberra caterer" because her responsibilities at the Australian Senate are said to include managing kitchens and cleaning.
But allies of the Speaker insisted that was an "immensely patronising and incredibly sexist" description of her role and qualifications.
The DPS has about 800 staff and an annual budget of about $A123.21 million. It is responsible for Hansard and provides IT, library and research services for parliamentarians.
In an effort to defuse the row, Mr Bercow, who is expected to visit Australia next month, has indicated he wants to split the functions into two jobs, but the suggestion has failed to appease the critics led by Conservative MP Jesse Norman.
Mr Norman has submitted a motion calling for parliament to be given the opportunity to scrutinise the appointment.
It has since been signed by 84 members from across the political spectrum, including three former foreign secretaries, a former deputy leader of the Labour Party and six former ministers.
All three deputy speakers are also understood to be against the choice of Mills.
Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Mr Norman condemned the appointment process as "flawed", because key people such as deputy Speaker Labour MP Lindsay Hoyle had not been included.
Mr Norman warned that if allowed to drag on the affair could damage the office of Speaker and, in turn, the House of Commons.
He added: "We must hope he will move swiftly to end that appointment (in his statement on Monday), reaffirm the importance of due process in the selection of public officials and put the wider issue of clerkship before a special committee elected by MPs."
Former deputy speaker Nigel Evans added on Sky News that the real issue was whether Mr Bercow would have the "guts" to stand up and tell the House that Ms Mills was no longer the appointee.
He went on: "It has ... transpired that while she is very good at administration, apparently she knows nothing about the constitution and wouldn't know what Erskine May is for instance, which is the bible of the chamber.
"In the meantime the Speaker has said why don't we split the job. Well, if we split the job which may have some sense, may not - don't you re-open the appointment panel again to have a look?"
Meanwhile, an influential committee of members will meet on Monday to discuss the Speaker's expected statement.
Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the public administration select committee, said he would be arguing for a pre-appointment hearing with Mills if she is to be appointed to either the post of clerk or chief executive due to the need for scrutiny.
Ms Mills was recommended for the role earlier this month following an open recruitment process with a selection panel led by the Speaker.
Downing Street has insisted the new clerk must have the backing of MPs.
The prime minister is responsible for passing the recommendation to the Queen to be finalised.
A spokeswoman for the Speaker told the Mail on Sunday: "The Speaker is keen to listen to the views of MPs."
She said his visit to Australia was planned a year ago and added that Commonwealth visits to meet other Speakers were an "element" of his job.
PA
