Top House of Commons clerk heading to Jersey

Wednesday 26 August 2015

A senior clerk from the House of Commons who led a major digital project has been put forward as the new top clerk to the States of Jersey.

Dr Mark Egan has been proposed as the new Greffier of the States of Jersey, once the present post-holder, Michael de la Haye OBE, steps down in December.

Under the States rules, the appointment is one of the very few jobs that has to be approved by politicians.

There were 16 candidates for the job, including eight from Jersey, but Dr Egan was “the unanimous choice of the panel after full and frank discussion”.

If the States back the appointment in a debate next month, he will be given a five-year contract with a six-month probation period.

Dr Egan is the Deputy Head of the Table Office, leading a team of seven clerks dealing with more than 250 parliamentary questions every day, and advising on working and parliamentary rules. He is also the Secretary of the History of Parliament Trust and is leading work on diversity in recruitment practices.

He previously led the work leading up to the creation of the Parliamentary Digital Service, and led a review on cyber-security governance within parliament.

The role of Greffier of the States is one that dates back for many years – the modern Greffier has to be not just a senior clerk, but also the chief officer of the clerks department and an advisor on States procedures to the Bailiff, Ministers, Scrutiny panels and States departments.

The post-holder also has to attend Council of Ministers meetings and preside over some States sittings if the Bailiff and Deputy Bailiff are unavailable.