(1)By virtue of this Act there shall be a corporation sole, by the name of “The Corporate Officer of the House of Commons”, having perpetual succession, an official seal and power to sue and be sued under that name like any other corporation sole; and in the following provisions of this Act that corporation is referred to as “the Corporate Officer of the Commons”.
(2)The individual who for the time being is by letters patent appointed to the office of the Under Clerk of the Parliaments (and who is customarily referred to as the Clerk of the House of Commons) shall be the Corporate Officer of the Commons.
(3)The Corporate Officer of the Commons shall have power—
(a)to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of land and other property of any description for any purpose of the House of Commons;
(b)to enter into contracts for any purpose of that House;
(c)to do any other thing which the Under Clerk of the Parliaments can do by virtue of his office; and
(d)to do anything reasonably necessary or expedient for, or incidental to, any of the matters referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c) above.
(4)During any vacancy in the office of the Under Clerk of the Parliaments, the functions of the Corporate Officer of the Commons may be exercised by the Clerk Assistant.
(5)As regards the seal of, and any contract entered into by, the Corporate Officer of the Commons,—
(a)the seal may be authenticated by the signature of, and
(b)the contract may be signed on behalf of the Corporate Officer of the Commons by,
the Under Clerk of the Parliaments, any Clerk Assistant or any other officer of the House of Commons authorised in that behalf by the Under Clerk.
(6)Except in so far as Her Majesty may by Order in Council otherwise provide, the Corporate Officer of the Commons shall not be regarded as the servant or agent of the Crown or as enjoying any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown and property vested in the Corporate Officer of the Commons shall not be regarded as property of, or property held on behalf of, the Crown.
(7)A statutory instrument made in the exercise of the power conferred by subsection (6) above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.