THE next serjeant at arms of the House of Commons will be electrical engineer Ugbana Oyet, Speaker John Bercow has announced.

The serjeant at arms is responsible for keeping order within the Commons part of the parliamentary estate and his ceremonial duties involve carrying the mace during the Speaker's procession before each sitting.

Following Royal approval, Mr Bercow said that Mr Oyet, 43, will start his duties next week, following the retirement of Mohammed Kamal El-Hajji in the summer.

Mr Bercow told MPs: "I am very pleased to announce to the House the appointment of our new sergeant at arms Ugbana Oyet.

"Ugbana is well known already to many members of the House because of his role of Parliament's principal electrical engineer and a programme director for the £143 million estate-wide engineering infrastructure and resilience programme which aims to make the parliamentary estate carbon neutral by 2050.

"A chartered engineer and a fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ugbana has a strong track record of delivering colleagues multi-billion pound projects from £1.8 billion village complex in a gated-community in Abu Dhabi in time for the first Grand Prix there in 2009, to a new city in Saudia Arabia including a power station and desalination plant costing tens of billions of pounds."

After the announcement, Mr Oyet said: "It is a great honour to serve in such a historic role, which combines the needs and challenges of the modern era, while also maintaining the dignity and essential traditions that have helped Parliament endure.

"I'm a real people person and love working closely with MPs, staff and members of the public, so I will do my best to enhance morale and improve the excellent service already provided by the serjeant's office."

Born in Nigeria, Mr Oyet moved to the UK with his family in 1991 and went to school in Chichester.

He has four children with his wife Claire.

Mr Bercow said Mr Oyet plays basketball with his sons and sings with St Mary's Undercroft Choir in the parliamentary estate.

He said: "Speaker Bercow said: “I have known Ugbana for several years and have always been impressed by his ability, his attitude and his approach to other people. My longstanding impression of him was confirmed when he won a diversity and inclusion award for being an ‘an inspiring role model’.

"I'm sure that colleagues and those who work in the service of the House will join me in warmly welcoming him to his role, congratulating on all that he has achieved and wishing him well in the important and challenging period that lies ahead."