Lawrence Ward (Serjeant-at-Arms)

Lawrence Ward following graduation from the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme in 2012

Lawrence Ward (born 1968)[1] is a security expert who started his professional career with Royal Mail. From 2012 to 2015, he was the Serjeant at Arms of the British House of Commons and as such was responsible for its security, access and maintaining order.

Early life

Ward was born in London in 1968.[2] He left school at 15 to work in an electronics company.[3] At 16, he joined the two-year Youth Training Scheme as a postal cadet at the Royal Mail.[4]

Career

At 18, he joined the management programme of Royal Mail,[4] and became a supervisor.[3] In 1997, Ward was appointed the 18th postmaster for the House of Commons.[4]

His responsibilities as Postmaster included overseeing postal services to Downing Street and managing the Court Postmaster at the Royal Household. His contribution to managing what was described by John Roberts, Royal Mail's CEO, as 'the Crown Jewels of the Post Office's contracts' won him the national Commercial Manager of the Year in 2001. Following the Anthrax attacks delivered via the mail in the US, he led the development of pan-government mail screening services. Working with security agencies both in the UK and the US, he introduced advanced processes and technologies for the screening of mail across Whitehall. With a developing expertise in security, he was asked to take on a permanent position at Parliament in 2006 managing its contract with the Metropolitan Police Service.

He was appointed Assistant Serjeant at Arms in 2008 and was responsible for the operational security of the Chamber and Commons Committees.

In 2009, the UK Youth Parliament sought to hold their annual debate in the House of Commons Chamber and this was contentious as some Members and Officials disliked the idea of the Commons Chamber being used for that purpose[5]. The initiative was supported by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown[6], and The Speaker, John Bercow and a vote to allow its use for the debate saw 189 Members of Parliament voting in favour, with 16 votes against. Ward told the BBC[7] that he supported the initiative and had personally volunteered to lead the planning of the inaugural sitting[8]. On Friday 30 October 2009, the debate took place, representing the first time the House of Commons Chamber had been used by a group other than MPs. The debate has taken place annually since 2009.

He managed the operational security for the State visits by the President of the United States, Barack Obama, and Pope Benedict XVI.[9] He was cited on the front pages of The Times and The Guardian in 2011 when he hand delivered the summons' for Rupert Murdoch and James Murdoch to appear at the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee to answer questions relating to phone hacking.[10]

In November 2011, he was appointed acting Deputy Serjeant at Arms. On 1 May 2012, Her Majesty the Queen appointed him the 40th Serjeant at Arms of the British House of Commons.[11]

Ward was an advocate of greater accessibility to the House of Commons and was the Senior Responsible Officer for the development of Parliament's education centre on Victoria Tower Gardens. He lobbied Committees to liberalise filming regulations and this led to the acclaimed documentary maker, Michael Cockerell, being given unprecedented access to film the BBC's Inside the Commons series. The first feature film to be made within the precincts of Parliament soon followed when Suffragette was filmed there in 2014.[12] His work on public engagement led to him being awarded House Officer of the Year in 2015 at the Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards.[13]

He announced his intention to stand down on 20 September 2015 and tributes were paid to him on the floor of the House, led by the Speaker, the Leader and Shadow Leader of the House, on 17 September 2015.[14]

Since September 2015 he has worked in the Private Sector as the Global Head of Security for an international consultancy and technology company.

References

  1. ↑ Who's Who , "whoswho.com" . Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  2. ↑ Glover, Mark (11 July 2012). "Trevor's triumph". My Royal Mail. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  3. 1 2 "The work of the Serjeant at Arms". Parliament Education Service. Archived from the original on 3 August 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Grew, Tony (17 May 2012). "Lawrence Ward: Stepping into the breeches". The House Magazine. Archived from the original on 22 July 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "BBC News 'Youth to meet in Commons Chamber'"
  6. ↑ "Gordon Brown support for UK Youth Parliament"
  7. ↑ "BBC News - First sitting of the UK Youth Parliament in the Commons"
  8. ↑ "Parliamentary Video of the arrangements for the UKYP Sitting"
  9. ↑ "Serjeant for the Commons"
  10. ↑ "The Guardian – Phone Hacking: both Murdoch's agree to appear at Committee"
  11. ↑ "Serjeant at Arms appointed". Parliamentary business. Parliament of the United Kingdom. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  12. ↑ "Serjeant for the Commons" "House of Commons Library"
  13. ↑ "Asian Voice Political and Public Life Awards"
  14. ↑ "House of Commons Tributes – 17 September 2015"
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Michael Naworynsky (acting)		 Serjeant at Arms of the British House of Commons
2012–2015		 Succeeded by
Kamal El-Hajji
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