19(1)The Speaker’s Committee shall designate a member of the Commission’s staff to be the Commission’s accounting officer.
(2)The Commission’s accounting officer shall have, in relation to the Commission’s accounts and finances, the responsibilities that are from time to time specified by the Speaker’s Committee.
(3)In this paragraph references to responsibilities include in particular—
(a)responsibilities in relation to the signing of accounts;
(b)responsibilities for the propriety and regularity of the Commission’s finances; and
(c)responsibilities for the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the Commission’s resources are used.
(4)The responsibilities which may be specified under this paragraph include responsibilities owed to the Commission, the Speaker’s Committee or the House of Commons or its Committee of Public Accounts.
(5)In this paragraph any reference to the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons shall, if—
(a)the name of the Committee is changed, or
(b)the functions of the Committee at the passing of this Act (or functions substantially corresponding thereto) become functions of a different committee of the House of Commons,
be taken to be references to the Committee by its new name or (as the case may be) to the committee by whom the functions are for the time being exercisable.
(6)The Secretary of State may designate any member of the Commission’s staff or other person to be the Commission’s accounting officer until such time as the first designation made under sub-paragraph (1) takes effect.