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Page last updated at 06:27 GMT, Monday, 22 June 2009 07:27 UK

Who is 'Father of the House'?

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"As the parliamentary geriatric I get the role," explains Father of the House, Swansea West MP Alan Williams on the job of overseeing Parliament whilst a new Speaker is elected.

At about 1130 in the morning he is given a list of all the candidates for Speaker which are then put into a hat. He then draws the names from the hat to determine the order in which candidates give speeches.

Alan Williams spoke to BBC Wales' Bethan James about his role. He was elected to the Commons in 1964 and has served in the governments of Harold Wilson and James Callaghan.

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