Visit of the Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., Speaker of the House of Commons, United Kingdom

From May 16 to 20, 2014, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Honourable Andrew Scheer, M.P., conducted an official visit to the United Kingdom.  Accompanying the Speaker were Mrs. Jill Scheer, Ms. Kenzie Potter, Chief of Staff, Office of the Speaker, and Ms. Elizabeth Rody, Chief of Protocol of Parliament.

During the visit, Speaker Scheer, jointly with the Honourable Noel A. Kinsella, Speaker of the Senate, had the highest honour of being granted an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Speaker Scheer also met with:

• Dr. Richard Ware, Director of Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Project;
• Mr. Paul Martin, CBE, Director of Parliamentary Security;
• Officials of the Independent Parliamentary  Standards Authority: Paul Hayes, Interim Chief Executive, Ms. Belinda Brown, Director of Assurance, Performance and Pay, and Mr. John Sills, Director of Policy and Communications;
• The Right Honourable Lindsay Hoyle, MP, Chairman of Ways and Means of the House of Commons, and Sir Robert Rogers KCB, Clerk of the House of Commons;
• Mr. Bob Twigger, Secretary to the House of Commons Commission; and
• Dr. William M. Shija, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).

One of the objectives of the visit was to strengthen relations with her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. The purpose of the visit to the Palace of Westminster was to strengthen relations between the Parliament of Canada and the Palace.  Speaker Scheer had the opportunity to discuss matters relating to parliamentary governance and to deliberate recent procedural and administrative changes at the House of Commons. In addition, issues of common interests were reviewed, for example, the long terms plans for the renovation of the parliamentary precinct and security of the parliamentary precinct. The Speaker also had an opportunity to talk over a range of issues regarding the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. View report.