Lawrence Ward (serjeant-at-arms)

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.

During a heated debate on building a third runway at Heathrow airport in January 2009, John McDonnell MP, grabbed the Mace and attempted to proceed with it from the Chamber.

[13] Two months later, Ward was again involved in an historic event when he approved and supervised the searching of a Member’s office by Lancashire Police.

Working with the Speaker, and seeking advice from the Attorney and Solicitors’ General, he ensured lessons had been learned from when Damien Green’s office had been similarly searched in 2009.

[14] 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.

[18] He described his time in the role in interviews with the BBC's Daily Politics[19] and Radio 4's The Westminster Hour,[20] Since September 2015 he has reportedly worked in the private sector as the Global Head of Security for an international consultancy and technology company.