Commons Library

New online resource – Armed Conflict Database

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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/

New online resource provided by the House of Commons Library  

The Armed Conflict Database provides in-depth data, timelines and reports on conflicts worldwide. 

The ACD enables the user to assess the effects of armed conflict on a region or a country. Users can view historic trends and patterns in conflicts and read regular reports on new conflict trends. 

The database holds annual figures for global conflict trends, as well as multi-year statistics on fatalities, refugees and IDPs. 

Online resources from the Commons Library

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The House of Commons subscribes to a range of commercial websites and databases, which are made available via the Parliamentary Intranet to all Parliamentary Network users.

Examples include news monitoring resources; case law and statute databases, biographical reference; and journals and periodicals;

These services are listed on the library services page on the intranet.

If you wish to add any of these services to your Favourites please bookmark the intermediate access page, rather than the service itself, as passwords / access arrangements may change from time to time.

Some services only allow a limited number of users at one time.  This is determined by the terms of the Library’s subscriptions to different services.  If you get an error message that the maximum number of users has been exceeded please try again later.

Please note that the Library does not have any control over the content, search software or frequency of updating of information.  The Library reviews usage of its online services; from time to time a subscription may be discontinued and new services may be added to the intranet.

The Library Loans Service

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The Library Book Loans Service provides loans of books and an inter-library loans service for material not held in the Library.

The service is available to Members and House staff, in connection with their Parliamentary duties. Named Members’ staff can request and collect items on behalf of their Member.

Items can be collected from the Members’ Library, or in exceptional circumstances, posted to the borrower.  Special arrangements exist for constituency staff.

The Library Loans Service is based in the Members’ Library in the Palace of Westminster. Contact 020 7219 1515 or hclibrary@parliament.uk.

For more detailed information, see the Commons Library Book Loan intranet page

Guides to Commons Library Services

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The House of Commons Library is a research and information service based in UK Parliament.

We provide politically impartial research, analysis, statistics and information resources. Our work helps MPs scrutinise legislation, prepare for debates, develop policies and support their constituents.

Our publications are available to everyone at commonslibrary.parliament.uk

The easiest way to learn about the Commons Library is to book or arrange a ‘Make the most of the Library’ session.

In this one-hour course, you will:

  • Learn about the ready-made research available to you
  • Find out how to use our data-dashboards to access relevant statistics
  • Find out how the Library’s request service works
  • Discover the range of online resources available for both casework and policy research

 

1. Services for Members’ Staff

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/about-us/services/

The Commons Library provides a range of services for MPs and their staff, including impartial research and access to resources and training.

Publications: Our publications offer politically impartial analysis and statistics. We cover legislation, topical issues, policy and constituency issues. Our briefings and data tools are written by our expert staff and are available online. Read about the different types of research: https://w4mp.org/w4mp/w4mp-guides/the-library/research-briefings-standard-notes-and-debate-packs/

Confidential Request Service: We answer MPs’ questions and requests for bespoke briefings. These tailored and timely responses help MPs fulfil their parliamentary duties and represent their constituents. Our confidential service includes fact-checking, policy development and analysis, and help to answer constituents’ questions.

Information Resources: MPs, their staff and parliamentary staff can access our curated collection of books, journals, databases, news subscriptions and parliamentary material.

Training and events: We offer training, support and talks on topical issues from our subject specialists. Our training and events help MPs, their staff and parliamentary staff get the most from the Library.

Workspace: Members’ Library is a quiet workspace for MPs, and a place to access our books and newspapers, make research requests and pick up printed copies of our publications. MPs’ staff can go into the Members’ Library to submit a research request or take out books on loan.

 

2.  Online resources from the Library

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/resources/

The Commons Library provides books, journals and online resources for MPs, MPs’ staff and parliamentary staff. On this page you can:

  • Browse the Commons Library catalogue
  • Search ejournal articles
  • Find online resources and databases, including Parliament and Government databases
  • Browse news and media subscriptions
  • Find help and guidance

 

3. Training and events

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/about-us/services/training-and-events/

The Commons Library arranges inductions, training and events for MPs, MPs’ staff and parliamentary staff to help you get the best out of the Library:

Make the most of the Library sessions: The easiest way to learn about Library services is to sign up for one of our Introduction to the Library sessions. The course provides you with the tools to:

  • Find the ready-made research available to you
  • Use our data-dashboards to access relevant statistics
  • Make use of the Library’s request service
  • Discover the range of online resources available for both casework and policy research

Events and guest speakers: House of Commons Library subject specialists give occasional talks on topics of interest to Members and their staff and other @parliament.uk users.  They also invite guest speakers from organisations such as the National Audit Office.

Regular training courses: The Library provides regular training courses on parliamentary search, Nexis News, books, journals and more.

Guidance and training on resources and guidance: The Library has prepared guides to the range of online resources and databases available to Parliament, such as news subscriptions, NewsBank, Grantfinder and more. The guides cover:

  • What the resource is
  • Some examples of queries the resource can be used to answer
  • Some key tips on searching
  • What training is available
  • Links to further guidance such as online help, user guides and video tutorials

 

4. Library Loans Service

The Commons Library catalogue contains records of the Library’s collection of hard copy and electronic books, pamphlets, reports, official publications, periodicals (journals), corporate subscriptions and online reference sources. Each record gives details of author, title, publisher, publication date and Library location.

It also provides an inter-library loans service for items not held by the Library (including periodical articles).

You can reserve a book or other stored material using the online catalogue. You can also view the status of your loans, reserve items, and request the loan of an item that you cannot find on the catalogue.

Explore the Commons Library’s extensive collection of online and hardcopy materials: https://commonslibrary.koha-ptfs.co.uk/.

 

5. Request Service

You can contact our team of subject specialists for help with research or information about any area relevant to you.

Whether you’re reviewing or developing policy, preparing for a speech or media appearance, helping a constituent or trying to understand an issue affecting your local area, Library staff can answer your questions in confidence.

It’s helpful to the Library staff to know exactly what you need and when. For example, you may be looking for statistics about your constituency, analysis of government policy, an overview of the law in a particular area or information on the support individuals can expect from public sector organisations. Sharing relevant correspondence or documents will help them understand your request and how we can help.

It may be that the information you’re looking for is already published on the Library’s website. Before submitting a request for information and research from the Library’s team of subject specialists, please do look at the material already published on the Library website: commonslibrary.parliament.uk

Specialist research can also be requested: see ParliNet for details.

Our Subject Specialist Directory provides contact details of specialists in each section and includes information on how to submit a request:

6. Commons Library email subscriptions

Get the latest Commons Library research and curated newsletters delivered to your inbox. This includes:

  • Research alerts: Subscribe to receive email alerts every time we publish new research about the topics you’re interested in.
  • In brief: Get business related research from the Commons Library at the start of every week.
  • Current awareness bulletins: Receive topical updates from Library researchers. Bulletins cover a range of topics and include news articles, parliamentary material, Library research, statistics, talks and more.
  • Economic updates: Get weekly economic updates with the latest economic indicators, data releases and briefings.

Sign up to the subscriptions in the link above.

Follow the Library on X: @CommonsLibrary

Research Briefings, Standard Notes and Debate Packs

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Research briefings, Insights, Debate Packs and more

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research/

The Commons Library provides an impartial research and information service for MPs and their staff. It publishes politically-impartial policy analysis and statistical research, free for all to read. Explore quick-read articles, in-depth research, and interactive data visualisations.

The Library also provides research of the weekly business of the House of Commons: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/this-week/.

 

Types of Research

Research briefings: In-depth analysis of bills, legislation, policy and topical issues. Read quick summaries online and download the corresponding PDF documents to access the full analysis.

Insights: Quick-read articles on current issues. These are published in line with topical events and provide need-to-know information on local and global topics.

Debate Packs: Research that is produced in relation to debates taking place in the Commons Chamber and Westminster Hall. They contain background information, parliamentary and press material, and suggested further reading.

Data tools and resources: Browse datasets and interactive dashboard on a range of topics. View our Constituency Dashboard for headline statistics about your constituency, explore parliamentary and elections data, and get the latest data on the economy.

Constituency casework articles: FAQs and quick explainers to help caseworkers with a range of constituent queries.

 

Research by Topic

The Commons Library research can be viewed by topic and sub-topic. The links to these listings can be saved as bookmarks so you can go straight to the subjects you are interested in.

 

Research from the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) is a bicameral body within Parliament which produces impartial, timely and peer-reviewed research, on topics such as biology, health, energy, environment and physical and social sciences.

Find out more about POST: https://post.parliament.uk/about-us/.

 

Types of Research

POSTNotes: Four-page research briefings reviewing emerging areas of research.

POSTBriefs: Dynamic and strategic syntheses, produced rapidly in response to current affairs or the work of select committees.

Rapid responses: Rapid response content published within weeks of important research developments, produced to brief parliamentarians.

 

Research by Topic

How to compile a briefing for a roundtable or panel discussion

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As well as writing speeches or looking for facts to use in the Chamber, you may need to support your MP when they are asked to speak on a panel or to be a main speaker at a roundtable discussion.  The former will normally be arranged by a large organisation, perhaps a professional association.  It will probably be similar to Question Time, except that the questions normally last longer.  The latter is a common staple of Party Conference season, or may be arranged by a think tank keen on expanding on a particular issue.

What type of brief are you aiming for?

A speech-style briefing has a beginning, a middle and an end.  This briefing needs to be broad, and not nearly as deep.  You will need to work out:

  1. What your MP is going to focus on
  2. What questions your MP will be asked
  3. What others at the event are likely to say

You will probably need two or three ideas for your MP, ten or more questions you think are likely to be asked by the audience, and a couple of ideas for each of the other speakers at the event.

What is your MP going to say?

Your MP has probably been asked to do this because of past experience and some knowledge of the subject area.  You will need to have two or even three areas to concentrate on.  For each of these you should have:

  1. Background – no more than three sentences
  2. The party line and a comment from a front bencher
  3. A recent comment from the press
  4. A recent comment from at least one independent non-political source
  5. A possible concern and a counter-argument
  6. An interesting or quirky statistic

Your MP will probably appreciate a bit more information on ten or so points which might come up.  For each of these points you should have:

  1. One sentence of background
  2. A comment from a front bencher
  3. A recent comment from the press, or from an independent non-political source

What are others at the event likely to say?

Regardless of whether this is a large roundtable or a panel discussion, your MP will face questions.  You can’t rely on these being follow-up questions to what you have briefed on, so it is important to second guess what might also be discussed.

  1. Find out who is hosting the discussion.  What have they said in the last six months?  Do they have press releases on their website, or have they been quoted in the national newspapers?  Have any other MPs or Peers mentioned the organisation in Hansard?  This will give you an idea of the direction the discussion may follow.
  2. Often an invitation will tell you who else is going to be speaking.  If it doesn’t, the organisation will normally tell you.  Try the same methods as mentioned above to see whether any of these people or the organisations they represent have any particular views.  Your MP will need at least two facts about each person or organisation, and these facts should be either backed up or have a counter-example.
  3. If your MP is not speaking alongside someone from one of the other parties, they may be speaking at another event with the same organisation.  It may be that this event takes place before the event your MP is attending.  If so, this is a valuable resource.  This is very common at Party Conference or with large pressure groups.

Final advice…

Your MP would find a quick sheet of bullet points useful – but staple copies of the articles, reports and various press releases to the back.  This is especially useful if your MP has a train journey before the event.

Concentrate on subjects your MP is familiar with.  It is probably best to check with your MP that you are heading in the right direction.

Ask other MPs, particularly front benchers, for advice.  The same goes for academic institutions, think tanks and pressure groups.  Use Nexis News, accessed via the Commons Library intranet site, to look for comments by members of the press – but ensure your MP agrees with what is said.

JM/May 2007

Training

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Training

The main resource for training for Members’ Staff is The Members and Members’ Staff Services Team .

Courses take place online, on the Parliamentary Estate and regionally, and if a course of interest is not available at a convenient location or date, they will endeavour to accommodate specific requirements, subject to sufficient demand (12 delegates and above).

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.

The full course catalogue is available via Act – the Parliamentary learning management system.  Some courses are advertised as being for House staff, but MPs’ staff can still sign up for some of them, such as some of the courses from Parliamentary Digital.  If in doubt, please do contact L&D for advice.

If you see a course you’d like to do, but there isn’t a session advertised yet, please do put yourself on the waiting list so that the MMSST knows that people are interested.  This will also ensure that you get a notification of when a session is available.

email: mmsst@parliament.uk

House of Commons Library

The House of Commons Library arranges inductions, training and events for MPs and MPs’ staff. Visit the Library’s website to find out more. 

 To receive information on all upcoming Commons Library training courses and events, sign up for email updates for MPs’ staff and bookmark the Library’s ACT page.

 
Latest Training Courses

Behaviour Code Seminar

The Behaviour Code seminars for 20 and 29 October are already fully-booked, so a further October date has been scheduled as follows: Time: 1400 – 1530Date: 27 October 2026Location: Online via MS TeamsFurther information, future dates and booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2007 Description: Our highly experienced and expert trainers will explain our behaviour code and the responsibility we…

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Restart a Heart Day

Learn potentially lifesaving CPR and emergency response skills Time: 10:00 – 15:00Date: Wednesday 14 October 2026Location: Portcullis House Atrium Restart a Heart Day aims to increase the number of people surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrests by helping more people learn CPR and become Resus Ready. Join the Parliamentary Health and Wellbeing Service (PHWS) and London Ambulance…

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Vote Office Training and Q&A

Understanding the daily business papers Time: 1300Date: Monday 12 October 2026Location: Online via MS Teams To register, please email nanchevi@parliament.uk from your parliamentary account.

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Casework Discussion Forum: Anti-Social Behaviour

Time: 1400 – 1500Date: Wednesday 21 October 2026Location: Online via MS TeamsRegistration: Via ACT This month’s speaker will be Will Downs from the Commons Library’s Home Affairs Section.

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New Starters Welcome to Parliament induction

Time: 1000 – 1200Date: Tuesday 6 October 2026Location: online via MS TeamsRegistration: please sign up via ACT Further information: please email MMSST@parliament.uk The Members and Members’ staff Services Team invites all new Members’ Staff to join us for a two hour Welcome to Parliament induction session. Aims:​ The session is interactive and will include polls,…

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Public Service Ombudsman – Complaints Champions Workshop

Open to Members of Parliament and their staff. The Public Service Ombudsman (formerly known as the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman) independently investigates complaints about UK government departments, other public organisations, and the NHS in England.  Complaining can be complicated for some people. If you are a Member of Parliament, or work for one, we want…

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Security Awareness Talks

The Security Awareness Programme offers a range of sessions open to all passholders. You’ll hear from members of the Parliamentary Security Department (PSD), senior leaders, and guest speakers. Sessions cover a wide variety of topics, including: The skills and knowledge you gain can help you in both your professional and personal life Please see here…

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Casework masterclass – Casework Discussion Forum

Time: 1400 – 1530Date: Thursday 24 September 2026Location: Online via MS Teams Join us for this extended casework forum session which aims to bring you essential tips, tricks and advice on how to effectively manage casework. With the authors of the Library’s Guide to casework and W4MP’s accompanying Casework guide on hand, we will also have guests…

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NEW Workshops with Professor Jennifer Lees-Marshment

Professor Jennifer Lees-Marshment from the University of Dundee will be delivering a series of workshops for Members’ staff this autumn. These interactive sessions are designed to encourage peer learning through discussion and breakout groups. The workshops will provide participants with the opportunity to share experiences, explore key topics and issues, and learn from colleagues across…

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Caseworker Discussion Forum: Housing Ombudsman

Time: 14:00 – 15:00Date: Wednesday 19 August 2026Location: Online via TeamsBooking: book via ACT We’ll be joined by staff from the Housing Ombudsman and Library subject specialistsOnline booking closes 90 minutes before the forum meeting. To request a place after online booking has closed please email LibraryTraining@parliament.uk

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