The Wellness Working Group is excited to once again share with you the now Annual WWG Survey of Staff working for Members of Parliament You may remember that the Wellness Working Group undertakes this important anonymous survey of MPs staff to better understand the pressures and effects that our jobs have on our wellbeing. We…

Join the Parliamentary Registrar for a training session on how to register Members’ financial interests.   Time: 11:30 – 13:00Date: Tuesday 10 December 2024Location: In-Person and OnlineBooking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2309

Meta are hosting a virtual training for MPs and their staffers to showcase the tools they can use to stay safe and secure across Meta technologies next week Friday 6th Dec at 10h00.  As part of this training, they will also cover Meta Support Pros, a dedicated support service to address operational and technical issues…

The last recommended posting dates this Christmas are: 1st Class mail: Friday 20 December 2nd Class mail: Wednesday 18 December. Overseas dates may be considerably earlier – see https://www.royalmail.com/christmas/last-posting-dates for details.

This training is essential for all MPs staff, and it is booked up many weeks in advance. Please do book on to the first available course here: Course: Behaviour Code – Why it matters for all new Members’ Staff. The Behaviour Code outlines clear guidelines on how you should be treated, and how you should…

A training session provided by the House of Commons, aimed at Member’s staff caseworkers. Time: 15:00 – 16:30Date: Tuesday 10 December 2024Location: OnlineBooking essential – https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=1918 Casework and correspondence to MPs from resettled refugees in constituencies across the UK has grown in recent years as the number of resettled refugees arriving in the UK has…

10:30 – 15:30 on Tuesday 26 November 2024 To mark Men’s Health Awareness Month, the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service (PHWS) and Parligender have partnered together with Andy’s Man Club and Prostate Cancer UK. Andy’s Man Club are a charity who raise awareness for men’s mental health by facilitating groups all across the UK and Prostate Cancer…

Next Wednesday (27 Nov) The House magazine will publish the first edition of a new bi-weekly newsletter, The Staff Room, written by and for MPs’ staff. It will meet the increasing professionalisation needs of its audience; you’ll learn how to support MPs with parliamentary duties, get training and career development tips, manage offices, use parliamentary facilities and much…

Time: 12:00Date: Wednesday 27 November 2024 This online webinar is your chance to learn about the value that PolicyMogul provides for MPs, peers and parliamentary staff. As well as an overview of the platform’s features, we will highlight some best practices related to getting the most out of the platform. Session includes Q&A. PolicyMogul is…

IPSA has launched a new consultation: ‘Supporting trust in democracy in the new Parliament’. IPSA is consulting on proposed changes to how it regulates and publish MPs’ funding, including changes to the Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs. It’s really important that as many MPs and staff as possible respond to the consultation, and…

All councillors in the Elect Her community are invited to Join Us Bring a coffee☕/ tea 🍵/ drink🥛🍸of your choice! Choose a time that best matches your schedule… Thursday 21st November, at 1-2pm and also 7-8pm If you haven’t already told us that you’re a councillor tell us here… https://www.elect-her.org.uk/events-workshops/councillors-coffee-nov21 and we’ll email you zoom…

An Online Workshop with Elect Her On Wednesday 27th November Join our workshop to help you prepare to stand in 2026. You’ll also hear from current politicians – on what it is like to stand, win and be an MSP! We are grateful to have Roz McCall MSP, Scottish Conservative, and Gillian MacKay MSP, Scottish Greens, and…

An Online Workshop with Elect Her On Wednesday 20th November We are running the event at both – 12pm and 7pm – so choose the time that works for you! At 12pm – 13.30pm – we’ll be joined by Natasha Asghar MS, and Sioned Williams MS.At 7pm – 8.30pm – we’ll be joined by Jane…

The Wellness Working Group is excited to share the below in-person session that The House is hosting during the New Parliament Fair https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2294 Please do take a look at what we feel will be a really helpful session Title:  Finding balance: Mastering the Art of Work-Life Harmony – 14:00 – 14.30pm (Boothroyd Room), 20th November…

The Right to Remain Toolkit is a step-by-step guide to the UK immigration and asylum system. It’s free to use, and it’s for people who want to learn more about the legal process, or a particular part of the legal process. It’s written in simple terms by legal experts and by people who have lived…

The Bank or England invites parliamentary staffers into the Bank of England for a briefing session, covering the Bank’s main policy areas. The event will take place in the Bank’s offices on Threadneedle Street, and will consist of talks and Q&A sessions with Bank staff on their areas of expertise. Time: 09:00 – 12:00Date: Friday…

Invitation for Parliamentary Staff The Open University Westminster Showcase Thursday 14 November, 1.15-3pm (drop in at any time)Attlee Suite, Portcullis House Dear all, We would like to invite you to The Open University Westminster Showcase, an event dedicated to Parliamentary staff members. The event will be held on Thursday 14th November, 1.15-3pm in the Attlee…

User researchers in PDS are currently planning research on several topics in the coming months to better understand the needs of Members and their staff. This research will ultimately inform new digital services and improvements to existing services, including how amendments to bills are tabled and supported, how Hansard is used, and how interests are…

The Labour Women’s Parliamentary Staff Network is hosting an online book talk and Q&A with Jess Phillips MP. Time: 12:30 – 13:30Date: Thursday 21 November 2024 To receive an invitation to this online event, please email [email protected] For further information about the LWPSN, please see here: https://w4mp.org/w4mp-guides/groups-which-staff-can-join/representation/labour-womens-parliamentary-staff-network/

In the November Benefits Newscast, David, Will and Kate discussed: To listen to this episode, please visit their website https://www.benefitstraining.co.uk/benefits-newscast/

RBL will be in Portcullis House Atrium between 8am and 6pm, we invite you to come over and find us for a chat about our new Caseworker guide and how we can work together. The Poppyride challenge for MPs and Peers is happening at the same time, so why not pop along and while you…

Virtual meeting from the Wellness Working Group Speaker: Sue HampsonTime: 11:00 – 12:00Date: Thursday 7th November 2024 Sue has been a practising counsellor, supervisor and trainer for over 20 years. She was the Beyond Trauma National Training Officer at Health in Mind from 2004 – 2006. Group Supervision will enable staff to safely and confidently…

The Civil Service Football Club (CSFC) is recruiting players for the 2024/25 season from across Government. CSFC run eleven teams competing in games across London, with the home ground being in Chiswick. This includes eight eleven-a-side men’s teams, two women’s teams and one veteran’s team (40+). If you fancy finding out more, please see this…

Have you heard of the Civil Service Sports Council? It’s a fantastic organisation which supports its members with physical, financial and mental wellbeing, as well as providing hundreds of other benefits. Staff of MPs and Peers are eligible to join. See our page here for further information: https://w4mp.org/w4mp/w4mp-guides/groups-which-staff-can-join/cssc/

Time: 14:30 – 15:30Date: Thursday 7 November 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The November 2024 forum will focus on finding data about your constituency. Get an introduction to the constituency statistics provided by the Library, and how we can help you find data about postcodes and locations of services in your constituency. We will be joined…

Are you a runner? How do you fancy having a go at the Three Bridges Race in your lunchtime? The monthly Three Bridges Race from Westminster Bridge to Vauxhall Bridge, via Lambeth Bridge (the Three Bridges) has been going for nearly fifty years. It’s 2.3 miles, starting at 12.30pm on a Wednesday (ok, not great…

What: Talk Money Week parliamentary-drop in for MPs and staffWhen: Tuesday, 5 November, any time between 11am and 1pmWhere: Room R, Portcullis HouseWho: Meet representatives from the Money and Pensions Services’ debt advice, pensions, and national partnerships teams Why attend? MaPS is an arms length body, sponsored by the DWP, responsible for the delivery of free and…

There are two “How to be a Select Committee Member” events taking place this week. If your Member has recently been elected to a Select Committee, they are strongly encouraged to attend.  Wednesday 23 October 2024, 10am – 10.50am (Macmillan Room, Portcullis House).  Tuesday 29 October 2024, 10 – 10.50am (Macmillan Room, Portcullis House). The…

If you would like to order a wreath for Armistice Day or Remembrance Sunday, you can do so by contacting the Royal British Legion directly: https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/ways-to-give/shop/wreaths They are able to provide a portcullis badge for the centre of the wreath, but you will need to request this at the time you order the wreath, and…

One question we are asked frequently is where can people download lists of contact details for MPs and Peers. There is a publicly-available list of MPs and their basic contact details on the UK Parliament website here: https://www.parliament.uk/site-information/freedom-of-information/information-we-already-publish/house-of-commons-publication-scheme/members-and-members-staff/parliamentary-contact-details-for-mps/ This list is updated every three months. It is also possible to view and download up-to-date comprehensive…

Are you going to be supporting a Member serving on a select committee? Or, do you simply want to understand more about how select committees work? The Select Committee Team is offering training for Members’ staff on ‘how to support your Member with select committee work’. This is a virtual event, which will be held…

This training session will be delivered by Protect, a UK independent whistleblowing charity and legal advice centre. Members of Parliament are designated in the law as people to whom whistleblowers can disclose information about wrongdoing, risks and malpractice. This training aims to help MPs and their staff who may receive concerns understand their role in…

The Benefits Training Company produces a monthly newscast which features three of their benefits experts discussing the latest benefits news stories including changes to legislation, DWP announcements, relevant case law and guidance. There are links to the sources of the items discussed, and some that aren’t discussed if they think they might help. In this…

MPs often need to use the services of an interpreter or translator when working with constituents whose first language is not English, or maybe require a British Sign Language interpreter. You can find some information on such services here: https://w4mp.org/w4mp-guides/your-office/interpreters-and-translation-services/

PolicyMogul is hosting two webinars to introduce parliamentary users to its platform. You can learn more about it, and sign up for the webinars here: https://about.policymogul.com/parliament/ Sessions, including a Q&A will take place on: You can read a bit more about PolicyMogul here: https://w4mp.org/w4mp-guides/researcher-extraordinaire/policymogul-a-free-political-monitoring-and-research-platform/

The MPs’ Guide to Procedure has been updated and hard copies are now available from the Vote Office. You can find an online version here: https://guidetoprocedure.parliament.uk/mps-guide-to-procedure Where’s the Vote Office? It has four outlets: Main Vote Office (lower ground floor, Palace), Members’ Lobby, Portcullis House and Parliament Street. See their intranet page for full details…

Two new dates for Caseworker Software Training have become available to sign-up to on ACT (3 and 10 October). Please note, these sessions are for staff of newly elected Members only at this time. Sessions for staff of returned Members will be organised in due course. Sign-up via the link: Course: Caseworker Software Training for MPs’…

Nominations are officially open for The House magazine’s Women in Westminster: The 100, the renowned initiative celebrating the remarkable contributions of women in public life. This annual recognition honours the achievements of women across various sectors, including parliamentarians, civil servants, journalists, activists, think tankers and public affairs professionals. Now in its sixth year, the campaign, supported by…

From 10am today (18 September) you can apply for a free school visit to UK Parliament in Spring Term. Applications will be via a digital form available on the Parliament Education website until 23 September at 4pm. Get ready:   Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to high demand, an automated queuing system will…

Looking for a list of Parliamentary Private Secretaries? You can find it here, dated September 2024: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66d6c04f701781e1b341db54/2024-08-20_-_HMG_Parliamentary_Private_Secretaries.pdf

An update from the Director of Members’ Staff Engagement The Director of Members’ Staff Engagement has provided an update on progress made against the recommendations in the report, which you can find on the intranet here: https://parlinet.parliament.uk/information-resources/news-newsletters-notices/news/2024/september/an-update-from-jo-willows-on-the-wellness-working-group-survey-for-members-staff/ There is also an update on the Speaker’s Conference report on the employment conditions of Members’ staff.

The National Autistic Society has kindly provided a guide to running Autism-Friendly Advice Surgeries. You can find this guide on the MMSST Casework hub here: https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-mstinfo/SitePages/Caseworker-Hub.aspx

Whether you are new to the House of Commons, or have been here for years, it’s always helpful to know your way around. The Guide to the House Administration will tell you all about the running of the house and where to find information, from security, to where to get furniture, to booking rooms, you…

All MPs are issued with an SOS device, but they are also available for all IPSA-funded staff of MPs. The cost of these devices is funded by the Security team It is recommended that Members and their staff carry a lone worker/SOS device, which has the ability to summon assistance in the event of an…

Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: Thursday 12 September 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The September 2024 forum will be a Q&A on prisons issues. It will be led by Jacqui Beard from the Library’s Home Affairs Section. To book, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/signup.php?s=16700

As the Parliamentary recesss comes to an end (before the usual adjournment for party conferences) the Hansard Society’s Parliament Matters Bulletin has a comprehensive run through the business planned for this week.You can read it on their website, or suscribe to their weekly email.

As part of their ‘Good Lobbying’ campaign, the CIPR and PolicyMogul have written to all MPs with updated guidance on professional lobbying. The campaign aims to promote the importance of ethical lobbying in the UK by changing legislation to increase transparency and rebuild trust in politics. To further this effort, the CIPR and PolicyMogul are hosting an event in Parliament on Wednesday…

If you’re an MP’s staff member with responsibility for casework, you may be interested in joining the online Caseworker Form, organised by the Members’ and Members’ Staff Services Team. To join, please email [email protected] from your parliamentary email account, giving the details of who you work for, and they will add you. Each month, there…

Did you know that you don’t need to wait for your electoral roll to be uploaded in order to start using the software? You can add new cases manually, so you can get started straight away. Their current turnaround for the electoral roll to be added is within 24 – 48 hours but if anyone…

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology is a valuable resource for MPs and researchers. Their website describes the work they do as follows: What we do The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is a research and knowledge exchange service based in the UK Parliament. It works to ensure that the best available…