Former Labour Cabinet minister Jack Straw is to chair an inquiry into the governance of the House of Commons amid a row over the hiring of a new Commons Clerk.

The announcement of the former Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary's new role was made during a backbench Commons debate on the row last night over the choice of Carol Mills, who works in the Australian Parliament, as preferred candidate for the role.

Tory MP Jesse Norman said he welcomed Speaker John Bercow's recent decision to pause the process amid MPs' concerns about her suitability.

Widespread concern exists among MPs that the process to appoint a new Commons head clerk, which was chaired by John Bercow was "seriously flawed," a Conservative MP has said.

Jesse Norman called on the Speaker to officially withdraw his letter to Number 10 which proposed that Australian official Carol Mills should be appointed to the historic post, suggesting a "fully open, competitive and transparent" selection process should now take place.

Mr Bercow has been subject to pressure over the decision to recommend Ms Mills to the £200,000 a year post, amid claims she was not qualified to rule on constitutionally critical matters in the chamber and questions over investigations into her conduct by the Australian senate.