Speaker Lindsay Hoyle backs an army of cats to deal with Commons mouse infestation as he unveils new pet 'Clem' - with signs ban on animals roaming Parliament could be eased

Lindsay Hoyle has backed bringing in cats to tackle Parliament's mouse problem as he unveiled his new pet.

The Commons Speaker said there would be 'cats across the House' to take care of the rodent population 'if I had my way'.

Sir Lindsay made the remarks in an interview with the PA News agency, and in the presence the 'head mouser of Speaker's House' Attlee.

Named after former Labour prime minister Clement Attlee, the two-year-old brown tabby has been joined by three-year-old Clem.

Insiders are increasingly confident that the Parliamentary authorities will ease rules on cats on the estate - with staff potentially taking on responsibility for looking after them.

MPs, peers and staff have long complained about infestations of mice in the historic buildings, with regular sightings in canteens even running across desks. 

More than £100,000 a year is spent trying to quell mice, pigeons and other pests, with costs hitting £126,000 in 2022-23.

That was the highest since before the pandemic, with poison-resistant rodents who know how to dodge traps among the factors blamed.

Building work disturbing nests, inflows from neighbouring Westminster Tube station, and food left in bins have also been highlighted as potentially fuelling issues.

Politicians have repeatedly called for cats to be brought on to the estate to help slash rodent activity, following the example of Downing Street's 'chief mouser' Larry.

However, the Commons authorities have resisted the idea citing concerns about how to ensure their welfare.

Officials have argued that unlike Downing Street, Parliament is a public building with thousands of visitors every year. They also said building works meant it would be too dangerous for the animals to roam. 

Last year it emerged that Battersea Dogs and Cats Home had been asked about supplying a feline, and advised that it would be 'unsuitable' while Parliament is using poison in traps.

But one insider told MailOnline that new advice had been received on how cats could be deployed on the estate. 'I think there are moves afoot - or apaw - to go further on that,' a source said. 

Animal-loving Sir Lindsay has a number of pets, including a tortoise named Maggie and a parrot named Boris.

Ahead of the King's Speech tomorrow, Sir Lindsay said: 'His role will be to keep the staff calm, he's a therapy cat as well, he works his way around the desks in the offices here and if need be he'll go out and visit people and say, 'Look, I'm around'.

'We've had the odd MP ring up and say, including the Clerk of the House, 'Oh there's a mouse in my office, can we borrow Attlee?' and he's gone out.'

Sir Lindsay said Attlee's 'good service is always welcome', adding: 'The good thing is he only asks for a pack of Dreamies. What he'll do for a Dreamies – in fact, he's looking at you now thinking you might have some.'

Asked about the role of therapy animals in offices, the Speaker said: 'If I had my way, I'll be quite honest, I think we should have cats across the House that look after the rodent population. I think it'd be good for the House.

'There's nothing better than seeing a cat. Anybody who likes cats are nice people.'

He added: 'I'd love to have 'Bring Your Pet Day to Parliament', I think it'd be fantastic. Maggie my tortoise is on the terrace at the moment. Boris the parrot is upstairs already, he's shouting away.

'We've got Attlee but we've now got Clem.'

Sir Lindsay described Clem as 'part-Bengal but mixed with some alley cat I think', adding: 'He's a black cat with Bengal markings in his fur. He's quite cute, completely different to Attlee.

'I think it's the Jekyll and Hyde of the cat society.'

He added of Clem: 'He's a new stray that's come along that we've taken in. He turned up at our house one day.'