1. Introduction 

Holders of photo-identity passes as Members’ secretaries or research assistants are required to complete a Registration Form on which they are asked to list certain financial interests they may have.  Anyone who is required to complete the form is automatically sent one by the Pass Office or else by the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

For those staff who are required to register their interests, detailed, specific information is below but a useful rule of thumb when considering whether to make an entry is to:

• ask yourself whether the remuneration you receive could be perceived as having an influence your behaviour/conduct as a privileged Commons passholder;
• if in doubt err on the side of caution and seek advice from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards office (number below).

You can learn more at https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/registers-of-interests/ but here’s the key information:

In accordance with Resolutions made by the House of Commons on 17 December 1985 and 28 June 1993, holders of photo-identity passes as Members’ secretaries or research assistants are in essence required to register:

• Any occupation or employment for which you receive over £450 from the same source in the course of a calendar year, if that occupation or employment is in any way advantaged by the  privileged access to Parliament afforded by your pass.
• Any gift (eg jewellery) or benefit (eg hospitality, services) that you receive, if the gift or benefit in any way relates to or arises from your work in Parliament and its value exceeds £450 in the course of a calendar year (i.e. January to December).
• You still need to register payments, such as income from surveys, that you pass directly to charity.    The name of the charity will not be published.

2. Obligations for Special Advisors

Since the overhaul of the Parliamentary Pass colour-coding most Special Advisors are issued with the pink passes that identify the holder as a civil servant. However, there are some instances where Special Advisors also have duties in the Parliamentary office of their Cabinet Minister and hold a secretary/research assistant pass.

In these circumstances you must register the name of the Department that you work for and your job title in that department eg ‘Special Adviser, Cabinet Office’.

3. Councillors’ expenses and obligations for party workers

If you are an elected Councillor and receive either an allowance or expenses for your work, then these must be declared on the Register under “occupations”. (eg ‘Councillor, London Borough of Lambeth’).  Similarly, if you receive remuneration from a political party, then you must declare this on the Register under the same heading.

4. Bursaries

If staff are in receipt of a non-educational bursary that exceeds £450 per calendar year, this must be declared on the Register.

5. Exemptions

Be sensible.  Whilst a whopping bursary from a large brewery company should obviously be declared, nobody is seriously going to think that your part-time bar work on Saturdays is going to be in danger of tempting you to exert a pernicious influence on your employer or the democratic process.  If in doubt, however, call the Parliamentary Commissioner’s for Standards office to ask for advice (number below).

6. Cumulative payments

Multiple payments received from the same source are registrable if cumulatively their value exceeds £450 in the course of a calendar year, even if individually one or more payment is worth less than £450.

7. Current Register

You can check your current register entry by viewing the Register of Interests of Members’ Secretaries and Research Assistants, which is published on Parliament’s website.

8. Contact

For more information, contact the  Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards: 020 7219 1883.
Website: www.parliament.uk/pcs
Email: [email protected]

The Commons Library has produced a comprehensive briefing on Constituency casework: immigration, nationality and asylum.

You can find it here: https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN03186/SN03186.pdf

Here is the document’s summary:

Members of Parliament handle a high volume of immigration, nationality and asylum enquiries from constituents. Many of them are straightforward and can be answered using information that is readily available, for example on the internet, or by using the Home Office’s dedicated MPs’ correspondence channels. Others are more complex and require specialist advice from a solicitor or professional adviser.

This briefing provides a short overview of the UK’s immigration and asylum system and basic British nationality law. It also outlines the legal restrictions on giving immigration advice, gives some suggestions on handling constituents’ enquiries, refers to some sources of information that may be helpful for straightforward questions, and highlights training courses
available to Members’ staff.

It is important to remember that immigration advice is heavily regulated. There are legal restrictions on giving immigration advice and providing immigration services. Aside from this, immigration law is complex. If in doubt, you should recommend that constituents seek advice from a specialist solicitor or adviser. Encouraging constituents to access appropriate professional advice is more helpful than trying to be a substitute for it.

Contents

1 A brief tour of the UK’s immigration system

1.1 Relevant Government departments and agencies

1.2 An overview of immigration, asylum and nationality requirements

Immigration

Asylum

Nationality

2 Dealing with constituency casework

2.1 Important warning about giving constituents advice

2.2 Useful initial information to get from the constituent

2.3 Contacting Home Office officials on behalf of constituents

2.4 Making representations to Government Ministers

2.5 Training courses for MPs’ staff

3 Useful sources of general information

3.1 GOV.UK

3.2 Departmental pages on GOV.UK

3.3 House of Commons Library website

3.4 Books and journals about immigration law

4 Organisations providing free/not for profit practical assistance

5 Non-government sources covering policy issues, international comparisons, etc.