News

News

NEW: courses to help you with casework

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The House of Commons Library is offering four new ‘taster’ courses aimed at helping you answer common constituents’ questions in the areas of housing, special educational needs, employment law and anti-social behaviour.

The training will be provided in Westminster by experienced lawyers. You can sign-up via ACT by first logging into the ACT Learning Pool (via Office 365), and then clicking the links below:

Introduction to Housing Law for caseworkers
The Law and Special Educational Needs and Disability
An introduction to employment law for caseworkers
The Law and anti-social behaviour

Once you have registered, we will be in touch with further details.  If you have any questions, please contact [email protected] or call x3666.

Photographic exhibition of all 209 Female MPs seeks funding

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On 14th December 1918  women voted for the first time in Britain, and in the same year the first female MP was elected.

To mark 100 years since some women achieved the right to vote, the 209 Women project aims to take over parliament with 209 new photographic portraits of all female MPs, shot exclusively by female photographers, and make it free and open to the public.

To ensure that all of the women photographers involved receive support to make this visual statement, they need help, and have set up a funding page at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/209-women/

The aim is that the exhibition will hang in Westminster from 14th December to February 2019 (tbc). It will be curated by Hilary Wood, (founder of ‘209 Women’ and photographer), Tracy Marshall (Director of Development and Partnerships at Open Eye Gallery, Co- Director of Northern Narratives arts initiative) and Cheryl Newman (Artist, curator and former Director of Photography of the Telegraph magazine).

The exhibition is supported by Liverpool City Council. In February 2019, it will travel to Open Eye Gallery, to be exhibited in partnership with Culture Liverpool.

Behind the scenes: Diane Abbott (Labour), photographed by Karen Knorr. ©Karen Knorr.

A new way to book meeting and committee rooms in the House of Commons

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Please note that rooms can not be booked by members of the public.

For room bookings please consult the relevant pages on ParliNet, which are kept up to date. A self service room booking system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all bookings will be confirmed by email. Committee Rooms in the Commons or the Lords cannot be booked using the self service system.

 

Have you looked at POST’s publications recently?

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POST provides balanced and accessible overviews of research from across the biological, physical and social sciences, and engineering and technology. It places the findings of this research in a policy context for Parliamentary use.

The best known format for these briefings are ‘POSTnotes’: four page summaries of public policy issues based on reviews of the research literature and interviews with stakeholders from across academia, industry, government and the third sector; they are peer reviewed by external experts. POSTnotes are often produced proactively, so that parliamentarians have advance knowledge of key issues before they reach the top of the political agenda.

Find out more here: https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/bicameral/post/publications/

House of Commons Library on BBC Westminster Hour

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As BBC Radio 4 puts it, ‘The House of Commons library is an indispensable part of life at Westminter conducting research for MPs and providing impartial briefs on everything from the environment and schools to Brexit’. They have given enormous support to w4mp over the years – and this lovely piece by reporter John Beesley is  an excellent tribute as they celebrate 200 years.

Listen here

 

Bullying and Harassment and Sexual Harassment support services

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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 Independent Complaints and Grievance Policy (ICGP) Programme was established to help ensure that Westminster, constituency offices and related locations are safe environments in which everyone can feel valued and respected.

Following the 19 July Commons vote on the proposals outlined in the ICGP delivery report, two new independent helpline services are now live. These services offer support and advice those who have experienced bullying and harassment and sexual harassment whilst on the Parliamentary Estate, in constituency offices or whilst undertaking parliamentary work.

These services are available to MPs and MPs’ staff and interns, as well as staff employed by or working for the House of Commons, Parliamentary Digital Service,  and other paid or unpaid staff, including those employed by external organisations who hold a parliamentary pass.

For full details see  https://w4mp.org/w4mp/w4mp-guides/harassment-involving-mps-and-staff/ or the Parliamentary Intranet pages.

Did you know that you can pay your trade union members directly from your salary?

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IPSA is reminding people that, for Members of Parliament, or MPs’ staff, who are members of a trade union, membership fees can usually be paid by salary deductions.

For those who would like to set up a salary deduction for union fees, please contact IPSA’s payroll team either by email [email protected] or by calling 020 7811 6400 and pressing option 2.

Not in a Trade Union? Why not have a look here: https://w4mp.org/library/researchguides/your-employment-status/staff-rights-and-representation/tgwuunite-parliamentary-branch/

Reporting from Party Conference

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DeHavilland, the UK political monitoring service, is seeking freelance writers to attend the Labour, Conservative and SNP conferences this autumn.

They want people to work alongside DeHavilland’s Content team to provide clear and concise written reports of fringe events – typically two to three events per day, subject to scheduling and demand, and will pay £50 per event covered.

You will need:

  • Previous writing experience, such as covering events and providing reports
  • A strong interest in UK politics/journalism
  • An excellent eye for detail and a high standard of written English
  • Willingness to adhere to a house writing style
  • Experience of working to tight deadlines

Ideally, you will already be planning to attend the relevant conference(s), and will have a pass arranged, although fringe events situated outside the ‘secure zone’ will not require this. However, a pass is essential for SNP Conference.

If you’re interested, send a brief CV outlining relevant experience (max 1 page) and a short covering letter (max 1 page), to: [email protected]. Please indicate which conference(s) you would like to be considered for in the subject of your email (for example, ‘Party Conference Reporter – Labour Conference’).

You need to tell them whether you have applied for a pass for the relevant conference(s).

Please note: you will need to make all of your own travel, accommodation and conference pass arrangements. DeHavilland is unable to meet the cost of these.

Photograph courtesty of #WOCinTech Chat

Journalism traineeship for young people

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The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust has begun to enrol for its free journalism traineeship – SLIK (Stephen Lawrence Installs Knowledge).

SLIK will be starting on the 17th September. They have partnered with London South East Colleges to fund this 12 week traineeship.

The students completing the programme will receive a traineeship qualification on completion of the course. Because of this qualification the students must be 16 – 24 years old and without a level 3 qualification (A level / BTEC equivalent).

This traineeship will improve the chances of a career in journalism through: Offering workshops and training from industry experts and professionals on specific aspects of journalism such as: creative writing, graphic design, investigative journalism and how to use social media effectively.

The workshops will be practical on-the-job training and will improve key employability skills such as: communication, confidence, literacy and producing quality content for our online SLIK.BLOG.

Half of the week will be spent in college completing English and Maths GCSE (if needed). The rest of the week will be spent at our newly reinvented Stephen Lawrence Centre.

For further information or to apply, please email [email protected]