Occasionally, w4mp is asked by constituents to investigate complaints about MPs. Unfortunately this is not something which is in our remit and we are not able to help.
Please see our guide to making complaints about an MP for further information.
News
News
Upcoming training courses from the Parliamentary Learning & Development Team
StandardHere is the current list of training courses from the Parliamentary Learning & Development Team that staff can sign up for.
Courses are free of charge to all Members’ staff who are paid through IPSA’s staffing allowance and travel costs to training events can be met from the expenses scheme administered by IPSA.
There are two new courses:
- Managing Suicidal Conversations
- Advice and Effective Casework Interviewing Skills
Full details can be found in the training section of the Parliamentary Intranet.
The full course catalogue is available via Act – the Parliamentary learning management system.
| Course | Date | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Supervisory Management Course | 24.01.20 | Westminster |
| Conversations with Vulnerable People | 29.01.20 | Newcastle |
| Managing Suicidal Conversations - NEW COURSE | 29.01.20 | Westminster |
| Writing a Brief | 30.01.20 | Westminster |
| Role of the Office Manager Programme (CMI endorsed) | 31.01.20 | Westminster |
| - 3 day course - you must be able to attend all 3 days | 21.02.20 | |
| 27.03.20 | ||
| Essential Writing Skills for Members' staff | 04.02.20 | Westminster |
| Introduction to Welfare Benefits | 05.02.20 | Westminster |
| Conversations with Vulnerable People | 06.02.20 | Exeter |
| Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | 06.02.20 | Edinburgh |
| Speech Writing | 06.02.20 | Westminster |
| Essential Writing Skills for Members' staff | 07.02.20 | Manchester |
| Asylum and International Protection | 12.02.20 | Westminster |
| Media Handling and Social Media | 13.02.20 | Westminster |
| Universal Credit Overview | 13.02.20 | Westminster |
| Taking Control of Your Time & Speed Reading | 18.02.20 | Westminster |
| Advice and Effective Casework Interviewing Skills - NEW COURSE | 19.02.20 | Westminster |
| Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | 20.02.20 | Westminster |
| Essential Writing Skills for Members' staff | 21.02.20 | Cardiff |
| Members' Staff Induction | 24.02.20 | Westminster |
| Managing Suicidal Conversations - NEW COURSE | 25.02.20 | Westminster |
| Immigration Law | 26.02.20 | Edinburgh |
| Introduction to Welfare Benefits | 27.02.20 | Glasgow |
| Speech Writing | 27.02.20 | Westminster |
| Personal Independence Payment (PIP) | 04.03.20 | Birmingham |
| Writing a Brief | 04.03.20 | Westminster |
| Conversations with Vulnerable People | 05.03.20 | Westminster |
| Immigration Law | 09.03.20 | Cardiff |
| Advice and Effective Casework Interviewing Skills - NEW COURSE | 10.03.20 | Westminster |
| Universal Credit Overview | 10.03.20 | Leeds |
| Taking Control of Your Time & Speed Reading | 12.03.20 | Manchester |
| Media Handling and Social Media | 17.03.20 | Exeter |
| Immigration Law | 18.03.20 | Leeds |
| Asylum and International Protection | 19.03.20 | Manchester |
| Taking Control of Your Time & Speed Reading | 19.03.20 | Edinburgh |
| Immigration Law | 23.03.20 | Birmingham |
| Members' Staff Induction | 26.03.20 | Westminster |
| Universal Credit Overview | 26.03.20 | Glasgow |
| Immigration Law | 27.03.20 | Westminster |
MP and Staffers’ guide to Mental Health
StandardThe MP and Staffers’ Guide to Mental Health has been updated and is full of useful information on how to support and signpost constituents with mental health needs. We highly recommend that you read this guide.
Here’s what’s in it:
- Quick-reference guide
- An overview of mental health
- How much help should you give?
- How to help someone in distress
- Handling difficult emails and phone calls
- Signposting and local information
- Glossary
You can view it on the Rethink Mental Illness website here.
As an aside from those of us at W4MP who have been around for a bit: if you are new to the job you might just be thinking that you are the only one who has ever had to help constituents with mental health problems. Everyone who has ever worked for an MP, and particularly those based in constituency offices and dealing with casework, tends to be surprised how much of an issue this can be, particularly in your first few weeks. Hopefully this booklet will help you put things in perspective. Good luck!
The leaflet is a joint production by:
- All Party Parliamentary Group on Mental Health
- Mind
- Rethink Mental Illness
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
New HMRC Guides for MPs and Staff
StandardHer Majesty’s Revenue and Customs have updated their very helpful booklets, explaining how they can help you to help your constituents. The two booklets are:
- HMRC Casework guide for MPs and Staff
- HMRC guide for MPs managing their own tax affairs
They are available in the following formats:
- English
- Welsh
- Accessible Version – English only
If you would like a copy of the updated versions, please email us letting us know which version(s) you require.
*** Please note that we are only able to send these documents to current MPs and their staff with intranet email accounts. It is not available to members of the public.
Life for a new MP on BBC News website
Do take a moment to watch this behind-the-scenes feature on what it’s like to be a new member on the BBC news website.
This was facilitated by the Commons Media Team and features interviews with General Election Senior Responsible Owner, Marianne Cwynarski and Managing Director of Research and Information, Penny Young.
Wikipedia/Wikidata for new and returning MPs
As soon as the first election results were announced on 12 December, Wikipedians – the volunteers who write and edit Wikipedia – sprang into action, updating Wikipedia’s articles about the election itself, about every individual constituency, and about every single MP.
The volunteers also added data, including for example MPs’ websites, Twitter names and Facebook profiles, to Wikipedia’s younger sister project, Wikidata. That’s a database that provides online, queryable data (linked open data, in technical jargon) that is used to populate Wikipedia articles.
MPs staff are able to update Wikipedia and Wikidata, as long as they follow the guidelines for the sites. If you would like to do this then you may want to refer to our guides
Hive Support Agency: staff recruitment in Parliament
StandardWe’ve been contacted by Hive. They say:
Hive Support
We provide an independent and professional service to MPs to assist with their recruitment and ongoing management of staff.
We have over 30 years’ experience of working in Parliamentary Offices and understand the unique relationship between an MP and their team. By outsourcing recruitment and HR to us we can relieve pressures from the office and ensure MPs and their staff have more time to focus on Parliamentary and constituency work.
Recruitment: If you are looking to work in Parliament, then get in touch with us via our website https://hivesupport.co.uk/recruitment/. We are currently recruiting for several MPs expecting to be returned following the election and are in contact with many more. We can currently only accept applications from those with previous experience of working for a Member or Peer.
HR: We offer support to Parliamentary teams and ensure that MPs are meeting the recommendations of the Inquiry into Bullying and Harassment of Parliamentary Staff; without adding additional burdens to already overstretched offices.
If you work in Parliament and need support or want to work in Parliament and would like our help to get you there, please get in touch today.
https://linkedin.com/company/hivesupport
About us:
Eve Burt and Sam Mackewn have over 30 years combined experience working in Parliamentary offices. Eve also Chairs a voluntary organisation and has responsibility for employment issues, including grievance and disciplinary procedures. Sam managed an employment rights centre offering legal advice to those experiencing difficulties at work.
TheyWorkForYou Crowdfunder
Many of us use TheyWorkForYou to find out what’s been going in Parliament – keeping track of what an MP has said is vital in the office.
However, just keeping the site going on a daily basis takes a substantial amount of staff time and expertise, not to mention the costs involved in hosting a heavily-visited website.
So they’ve launched a crowdfunding effort to keep the site going.
Women and Parliament Virtual Tour
Have you seen the Women and Parliament 360° virtual tour?
See where the 1866 first mass petition for female suffrage was handed in, find out about the campaign for equal voting rights, and more.
Take a virtual tour bit.ly/2Nu62aZ
The content of the Women and Parliament virtual tour draws on research and content from the 2018 exhibition ‘Voice and Vote’. The exhibition project was financed by the Speaker’s Art Fund and the House of Lords with support from the House of Commons.
Dissolution Guidance
StandardWith the prospect of a General Election looming, we have created a page with links to the official guidance on dissolution.
Our dissolution page will be updated with information and new links as we receive them.