Research Fellowships with Good Things Foundation

Good Things Foundation and Nominet have announced a new research scheme to help end data poverty and reduce the cost of living. The three research fellowships – part of the pioneering Data Poverty Lab – will each provide £12,000 funding to enable people to explore interventions with the aim of designing effective solutions to tackle data poverty.

With recent Ofcom figures showing 84% of benefits recipients unaware that they already qualify for cheaper broadband deals, the scheme is designed to both amplify existing interventions and highlight new ideas.

The Fellowships will explore three key themes which emerged from the Data Poverty Lab’s initial research:

What community-led solutions to data poverty are emerging, and how could these be scaled regionally or nationally?
How do we talk about data and data poverty?
Should internet access be viewed as an essential utility, a human right, or something else?

Individuals interested in applying for a Data Poverty Lab Fellowship should visit www.goodthingsfoundation.org/data-poverty-lab/fellowship/ or contact our Policy and Research Officer, Tom McGrath, by emailing [email protected]. Applications are open from 23 February to 20 March 2022.

ICO – updated guidance on video surveillance

The Information Commissioner has issued updated guidance on video surveillance. Please click the link below to be take to the ICO website:

https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/key-dp-themes/guidance-on-video-surveillance/

Ukraine crisis 2022: Aid and refugees

Commons Library Briefing

This new briefing describes the potential effect of the conflict in Ukraine and the possibility of a refugee crisis, alongside what aid the UK and others have pledged in 2022.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9467/

Ukraine Crisis – Commons Library Briefing

The Commons Library has put together a page featuring Commons Library publications relevant to the current crisis in Ukraine.

You can view it here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9455/

IRIS Data Protection surgery – Tuesday 1 March

Please see the details here:

https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-mstinfo/SiteAssets/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2Fhct%2Dmstinfo%2FSiteAssets%2FSitePages%2FBulletins%2Dand%2Dnotices%2F2511518054GDPR%20Surgery%20Flyer%20March%202022%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2Fhct%2Dmstinfo%2FSiteAssets%2FSitePages%2FBulletins%2Dand%2Dnotices

The State Apartments of Speaker’s House tour

You can now book a one-hour, fully-accessible tour of the State Apartments of the Speaker’s House, which includes the Grand Staircase, the Crimson Drawing Room, the State Dining Room, and the State Bedroom. The tour starts and finishes in Westminster Hall which you are welcome to explore afterwards.

See here for full details and booking: https://ukparliament.seetickets.com/timeslot/the-state-apartments-of-speaker-s-house-tour

Mindfulness Course for Members

New six-week online mindfulness course for Members starts next Wednesday 23 February, 8.30-9.30am.

Sessions will take place every Wednesday 8.30-9.30am for six weeks (from Wednesday 23 February to Wednesday 30 March).

The course will be delivered by Awaris, leading mindfulness training provider and sessions will take place online via Zoom.

To book your place email Lydia Smith on [email protected]

Best Practice Guide to Grievances

Please note that links to the old Parliamentary intranet have been removed as of October 2023. Please use search on ParliNet to find relevant current details, if available.

https://parlinet.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-members-staff/

The House of Commons Members’ HR Service has produced a Best Practice Guide to Grievances.

This best practice guide aims to enable Members and their HR proxies to respond to and investigate grievances fairly, consistently and effectively.

You can find the guide here

This is one of a series of guides, and you can find the other guides here

House of Commons Training in the next fortnight

This is the fortnight training information from the Commons Learning and Development Team for you to be able to find the available courses for the following two weeks. We are including some law sessions recently arranged for March.

Please click the links to book if you are available to join.

W/C 21 February

Vicarious Trauma (both two days to be attend): Vicarious Trauma
Speech Writing: Speech Writing
Managing Your Social Media Profile (both two days to be attend): Managing Your Social Media Profile

W/C 28 February

Supporting Distressed Caller: we are rearranging the sessions’ dates

Newly arranged short webinar Law sessions in March

Immigration and Asylum Law – Short webinar: Immigration and Asylum Law – Short webinar

Royal Mail Transition to Barcoded Stamps

The Royal Mail has brought in a new style of postage stamp which feature a barcode. You can read about it here: https://www.royalmail.com/sending/barcoded-stamps

Stamps which do not feature a barcode ceased to be valid on 31 July 2023 and should not be used. If they are used, the recipient will be charged a surcharge.

You can ‘swap out’ your old stamps for new ones and information on how to do this is on the above website. This applies to all ‘definitive stamps’ – the ones which feature only the Queen’s head in profile. This includes standard First and Second Class stamps, Large Letter stamps, and all specific value Definitive stamps (e.g. 1p, 2p, etc). Special Stamps with pictures on and Christmas Stamps without a barcode will continue to be valid and don’t need to be swapped out.

The pre-paid envelopes used by MPs’ offices will not be affected and can continue to be used and are not part of the swap out scheme.

Update 9 July 2024: the pre-paid envelopes bearing the head of Queen Elizabeth II are still valid, and there are currently no plans to replace them with the head of His Majesty King Charles III.

w4mp

The site for everyone working for an MP

News