Tributes

Lord Bishop of Derby Excerpts

Thursday 18th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Kinnoull (CB)]

My Lords, I associate myself with all the warm comments made by my fellow members of the usual channels about the staff of the House. I note the kindness, the courtesy and the huge help that those staff provide to Cross-Bench and all Members, and I am very grateful. Before I pay tribute to four very special colleagues, I reflect particularly on the moment in March of the confetti in the Chamber, when protesters interrupted our proceedings by throwing leaflets from the gallery. Our doorkeepers ushered them away, clutching as they were leaflets that called for “aristocrats out, nurses in”. I felt that my noble friend Lady Watkins came very close to declaring a conflict. But, thanks to the skill of the doorkeepers, we were back up and running in just four minutes. We owe a great debt and give great thanks to our doorkeepers, and their head doorkeeper John Ingram. I for one am very grateful for them.

My first tribute is to David Prior. David worked in the Parliamentary Archives, joining in April 1992 as the assistant clerk of the records, a role latterly not so snappily renamed head of public services and outreach. He has transformed the way in which our archives are presented to the public, through many exhibitions, large and small. He oversaw loans such as the Stamp Act 1765, which went to the USA; this was the legislation that gave rise to the cry, “No taxation without representation”, giving great succour to the independence movement over there. He arranged for the Articles of Union between England and Scotland, and the Act of Union 1707, to be displayed at the Scottish Parliament in 2007, which was the tercentenary. Most remarkably, David arranged for the four inward loans for the four surviving Magna Cartas, which were displayed in the Robing Room in February 2015, a task that others observed was more complex than organising a western Balkans conference. I have not mentioned his technological thrust in bringing the archive to our public, for which I hope he will forgive me. I thank him for all 33 years and wish him well.

Mary Nottingham and Mandy Marks retired as senior internal auditors in September. Mary and Mandy met when working for the Ministry of Defence internal audit department, and while Mary moved to the House some time before Mandy, the role they took on when Mandy arrived was quickly adapted so that they were a job share. They brought great audit experience to the Lords team, with humour and professionalism and no hint of sinister purpose, an approach that was much appreciated by all whom they worked with during their parliamentary careers. They were consummate team players. That is not to say they did not have strong opinions, as their colleagues recall: their head of section observed that they were masters of upwards management, always done with such charming subtlety that to this day he was never entirely sure whether he was managing them or they were managing him. I think we know the answer. Mary and Mandy will take their opinions on that question into a long and very well-earned retirement, which I understand will include visits to Cyprus, where they both used to own homes. They were wonderful colleagues and respected professionals, and we are all very grateful to them for their contribution to the House.

Finally, I pay tribute to one of our greatest generals in our longest-running war. I speak, of course, of the war against moth and mouse. Maureen Shoults led the early-morning sorties on the front line of the Principal Floor corridor for 27 years before retiring in November. She started as a housekeeper, was promoted to a team leader and latterly had a team of 15 housekeepers. Her particular personal theatre of battle was the bit of the Principal Floor corridor that included the Cross-Bench offices. While we try to lock away our admittedly plentiful rations of crumbly shortbread, we have been guilty of providing sustenance for the enemy. Despite this, and the early hour when I tended to run across her, she always greeted me and indeed all our staff and those who met her with a smile and a kind word. She will now spend more time with her children, Ben and Wayne, and her grandchildren, Finley and Fiona. We wish her all the best, and we will all keep fighting the great war on her behalf.

It remains only for me to thank my fellow usual channels. I cannot tell your Lordships how generous they are constantly to the Cross Bench in all sorts of little ways, and I and the Cross Bench are all very grateful to them. I have to say that it is very good fun in the usual channels. I would take issue about the biscuits, because there was a metre-long lot of biscuits with the Chief Whip—a lot of Jaffa cakes at one point—and we are hoping to get more of those in there. But it is in a great spirit that we try to make sure that things work in the House, and I pay tribute to them.

With that said, the only remaining thing is to wish, on behalf of our Benches, everybody, Members and staff, a very happy Christmas.

[The Lord Bishop of Derby]

My Lords, I shall not detain the House long, but on behalf of these Benches I echo the appreciative comments that we have just heard from the Front Benches about all those who have retired, or are about to retire, as colleagues, working alongside us here. It is a real privilege to have the final opportunity on behalf of us all in your Lordships’ House to thank those who work with us, both front of house and behind the scenes, for their outstanding care and service in keeping this House and our work here running smoothly.

As we near the end of this year’s journey through Advent and approach Christmas, I know that all Members will join me in wishing not just each other but all our colleagues here a restorative recess. I pray that they may know the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of the Christ child this Christmas. Happy Christmas, and a good New Year when it comes.