Author: W4MP Editor

Workshops from the Registrar of Members’ Financial Interests

Standard

The Registrar of Members’ Financial Interests runs workshops for Members and their staff on the following subjects together with the next available dates.

‘Openness and Registering Members’ Financial Interests’, covering:

  • How to help your Member register and declare interests
  • The rules on paid lobbying by MPs
  • How and when to register your own interests

Thursday 3 June 2021 at 2pm
Thursday 17 June 2021 at 2pm
Thursday 1 July 2021 at 2pm

 

‘How to Support an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)’, covering:

  • Register entries
  • APPG Secretariats (volunteers, Members’ staff, outside organisations)
  • Members and Officers
  • Meetings (including AGMs, inaugrals and other formal meetings)
  • Transparency and records, including APPG websites
  • Income and expenditure statements

Thursday 3 June 2021 at 11am
Thursday 17 June 2021 at 12.30pm
Thursday 1 July 2021 at 11am

Booking required.  Please contact [email protected] to book a place.

Commons Library Research Briefing: Directly-elected mayors

Standard

This briefing paper explains the status of directly-elected mayors in English and Welsh local government, and the routes to establishing them, including the use of local referendums. It also includes an up-to-date list of elected mayors and statistics on previous referendums.

Find the briefing here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05000/

New Starter Induction – 27 May 2021

Standard

There are still a few places available for the Member’s Staff Induction session on 27 May 2021.

If you have any new starters who have not yet signed up the course, please ask them to sign up here: Member’s staff induction

The details of the session are s follows.

Part 1: Induction (9.30-12.30)

Part 2: Valuing Everyone – Tackling bullying and harassment and sexual misconduct workshops (13.30-16.30)

Commons Library Research Briefing: Consumer protection: online scams

Standard

The Commons Library has published a new research briefing looking at online scams. In addition to looking at the scale of the problem, it considers the different types of scams, who are the targeted victims, and what is being done to combat them.

You can find it here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9214/

New Wellbeing Hub for Members’ Staff

Standard

The Wellness Working Group has launched a new Wellbeing Hub for Members’ Staff.

This is a dedicated space created by MPs’ staff for MPs’ staff; they know just how difficult this job can be and the importance of taking time to look after yourself.  They have gathered all resources to support you on this site.

The Wellness Working Group is a cross party group of members staff that aims to place a greater focus on mental health and increase support for members staff wellbeing.

Please visit the Wellbeing Hub for Members’ Staff here: https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-wellbeinghub

There will be a tour of the new Wellbeing Hub at 3pm on Wednesday 12 May 2021.  Please click here for details of how to join: https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-wellbeinghub/_layouts/15/Event.aspx?ListGuid=391ff5e9-e147-4629-996a-5998ff65a95a&ItemId=3

The Public Affairs Guide to Westminster: The Handbook of Effective and Ethical Lobbying

Standard

Award-winning public affairs professional Robert McGeachy has written The Public Affairs Guide to Westminster: The Handbook of Effective and Ethical Lobbying, drawing upon his experience of working in the House of Lords for many years, and of leading successful UK-wide public affairs campaigns.

The Westminster Public Affairs Guide shows organisations and individuals how to influence both Houses of the UK Parliament and the UK Government, and to do so on an ethical, cost effective basis.  Full of useful hints and tips, and written with the benefit of years of experience and success in the profession, the Westminster Public Affairs Guide is the essential tool for those seeking to find out more about the Westminster political system, about developing campaigns and about how to engage with the UK Government, and with both Houses of the UK Parliament, to influence policy and legislation.

The book will be of interest both to public affairs professionals, and to parliamentary staff. It will help parliamentary staff to maximise the effectiveness of their support for the MPs or Peers they work for, and strengthen the latter’s capacity to influence legislation and policy development.

The Westminster Public Affairs Guide has been published by the Welsh Academic Press. Further details can be accessed at https://welsh-academic-press.shopfactory.com/contents/en-uk/p60.html or  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Public-Affairs-Guide-Westminster-Effective/dp/1860571344

Commons Library Research Briefing – “Common law marriage” and cohabitation

Standard
The number of couples choosing to live together (cohabit) without getting married or entering a civil partnership, in what is often called “a common law marriage”, increased by 137% between 1996 and 2020.

Although cohabitating couples do have legal protection in several areas, such as under the law relating to domestic abuse, cohabitation gives no general legal status to a couple, unlike marriage and civil partnership from which many legal rights and responsibilities flow. Many people are unaware this is the case.

This briefing provides information about the number of cohabiting couples, how the law applies to them, the Law Commission’s proposals for reform, and other calls for reform.

You can find the briefing here: “Common law marriage” and cohabitation

Commons Library Research Briefing – Coronavirus: International Travel FAQs for England

Standard

The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper which provides answers to frequently asked questions about international travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coronavirus: International Travel FAQs for England

This paper is a compilation of frequently asked questions about international travel from and to England, and how it is affected by current restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper addresses the following questions:

  • What is the international travel ban?
  • What are the reasonable excuses for travel?
  • Who is exempt from the international travel ban and travel requirements?
  • What are the penalties for international travel offences?
  • I’m travelling to the UK, what do I need to do?
  • What COVID-19 testing is required after arrival in England?
  • What is the “test to release” scheme?
  • What is hotel quarantine for travel from “red list” countries?
  • Are there any exemptions from Hotel quarantine?
  • What if I cannot afford to pay for Hotel Quarantine?
  • When can I go on holiday?
  • I can’t fly because of lockdown, but my flight wasn’t cancelled, what are my options?