This sounds like an exciting project from Parliament’s Education Outreach Team
who are looking for help from Members and their staff in promoting it.
Read on to see how you can help schools in your area get involved.
It’s first-come-first-served….

Parliament’s Education Service has a new range of debating themed loan boxes, which will be available for schools to hire free of charge from 16 September 2013. The contents of the loan boxes have been designed to promote pupils’ investigations into the work of Parliament through interactive role-play and discussion.

Designed specifically for Primary, Junior and Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools, the loan box scheme seeks to encourage children to take part in Parliament style debates, using the resources provided in the boxes.

Each loan box each contains various tactile objects, key items of costume, sounds and images to help schools set the scene for their very own parliamentary experience; groups will even be able to create their own debating chambers with the large backdrop images provided.

Support materials and lesson guides are included for teachers and classroom support staff, with suggestions for additional activities and ways to encourage children to become active citizens.

Parliament’s Education Service will commence advertising this new scheme to UK schools in the next few weeks but we would welcome your assistance in promoting this opportunity to friends and colleagues working in Primary and Special Schools in your local areas.

Please be aware that applications for loan boxes must come directly from school staff and loans will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis; loan periods will typically last for 6 weeks per booking. Loan boxes will be delivered and collected, free of charge, to any school location across the UK.

All enquiries should be directed to [email protected] or you can call Parliament’s Education Service, Outreach team, on 0207 219 4647.

Are you making best use of the wonderful resources available to you from the Commons Library?

Here’s one you can’t afford to ignore: Research Alerts – https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/subscribe/

Go on – have a look now!

While you’re there, check out some of the other stuff the Library offers. The main page is here.

UNTIL 31 JULY

Parliament and votes for women: Emily Wilding Davison and Parliament   

Royal Gallery, House of Lords  

A display of original documents from the Parliamentary Archives marking the 100^th anniversary of the death of suffragette Emily Wilding Davison.

Further information: x3072 or [email protected]

Here’s a timely reminder about our guide on Working with Lobbyists.

You can see it here.

Looks like it needs updating again (!) but much of the advice is still relevant.

Newish here?

Not sure where you can eat or drink and whether access may be restricted?

Have a look at our guide here. It includes a link to a page on the intranet which spells out exactly where each restaurant or bar is, when it’s open and, where appropriate, what’s on the menu.

They’ve let him in again and you can now benefit from Russell Brand’s views on your workplace and colleagues.

You can read it here.

Enjoy!

The House of Commons now has its own dedicated Twitter feed, @HouseofCommons, maintained by the Public Information and Outreach team.

The feed has been live since January and already has over 8,000 followers, including Members of both Houses, political journalists, broadcasters and a wide range of interest groups and NGOs.

@HouseofCommons provides politically impartial news and information on the work of the Commons, with a particular focus on increasing the visibility of work in the Chamber and in Westminster Hall debates. It is also used to respond to queries from other Twitter users about aspects of House of Commons procedure and practice.

Future plans for @HouseofCommons include real-time coverage of Commons divisions and other key events in the parliamentary calendar.

We have already mentioned the Commons Library tweets which are at https://twitter.com/commonslibrary.

New information received from the Financial Ombudsman Service. Here’s what they say:

The Financial Ombudsman Service, which you may know, is the free service set up law with power to resolve financial disputes between consumers and financial businesses. It is completely impartial and free for consumers to use.

We run free training events across the UK for consumer advice workers and MP caseworkers, which MP caseworkers and researchers can also attend. The training event is designed to help you sort out financial problems your constituents are facing.

What you’ll find out:

• the ombudsman’s role and powers – what complaints we can look into;
• how we resolve complaints;
• our approach to complaints about unaffordable lending and the treatment of consumers in financial difficulty.

The sessions run from 10am until 4pm and a light lunch will be provided.

To find out if there’s an event near you, check out our website http://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/news/wt_ca.htm.  To book a place, please return the booking form. If you have any questions about the events, please email [email protected]

If you are running an event in Westminster, or your constituency, and would like us to come along – or if your office is interested in working with us to create awareness of our service then please email  [email protected]

What is ‘Prorogation’ and what exactly happens at the State Opening of Parliament?

These links explain all:

• www.parliament.uk/about/how/occasions/prorogation/
• www.parliament.uk/about/how/occasions/stateopening/

Or you can watch the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod, Lieutenant Colonel Ted Lloyd-Jukes OBE, speaking about the organisation and significance of State Opening. He’s here.