Who is the serjeant at arms

The Serjeant in the House of Representatives has important responsibilities for Members' accommodation and furnishing. For formal ceremonies, the Serjeant-at-Arms wears regalia based on clothing worn in the old royal court in England.

This comprises silver-buckled shoes, stockings, knee-breeches or skirt , black cut-away coat with a large rosette on the back, waistcoat, stiff shirt front, butterfly collar and bow, white lace jabot and cuffs, white kid gloves, cocked hat carried under left arm , and ceremonial sword. More recently an adaptation of this court regalia has been worn for some of the ceremonial occasions. For normal sitting days, the Serjeant wears black trousers or skirt in place of the breeches and stockings, and the gloves, buckled shoes, cocked hat and sword are not used.

Australian Parliament House is currently closed to the public. Major Roles and Responsibilities of the Serjeant-at-Arms Many of the contemporary roles of the Serjeant-at-Arms stem from the historical and traditional aspects of the office — the ceremonial, security and 'housekeeping' roles.

Support for the Chamber of the House The main Chamber responsibilities of the Serjeant during the sittings of the House relate to assisting the Speaker to maintain order and are laid down in the Standing Orders or rules of the House. History The name Serjeant-at-Arms derives from the latin serviens or servant.

The Serjeant at Arms has two main areas of responsibility. First he has duties relating to the order and security of the House of Commons. He is responsible for maintaining order in the Chamber, Galleries, Committee Rooms and precincts of the House of Commons, and the control of access to them.

By tradition the post is usually given to an ex-serviceman and the Serjeant at Arms is the only person in the House of Commons allowed to carry a sword. The Serjeant at Arms Department also has housekeeping duties which include the allocation and booking of accommodation for MPs, cleaning of the House and the supply of stationery, laundry and other stores. Like all leaders I am responsible for leading my team, ensuring there is clear governance and clarity on roles, responsibilities and expectations for everyone in the team, planning and monitoring of our performance, managing risks and financial controls.

The role of Serjeant at Arms is full, engaging and enjoyable. What role can the Serjeant at Arms play to foster stronger relationships between the UK Parliament and the Commonwealth? What do you enjoy most about your role? Our Priority Themes. Public Accounts Committees.

Modern Slavery. Women in Parliament. Sign Up For Our Newsletter If you would like to keep up to date with our programmes and activities, please sign-up to our newsletter. Sign Up.