LIBRARY: Authoritative guides to help in your job, useful links and light reading.
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Since it began in 2000 w4mp has commissioned an extensive collection is a of guides to good practice to provide you with advice and support in carrying out the main activities expected of you in your job.
Most guides are written by staff working for MPs; some originate from various House Departments or our good friends in the House of Commons Library.
Guides are constantly being revised and updated so if you do print a guide out please remember to check back from time to time to see if changes have been made.
Navigating the w4mp Library
You can search the whole site, including guides, using the standard search bar or this search box:
Or you can follow these links
If you would like to see a full list of all guides then we have a Guide Index that you can consult.
Please let us know of items you think will be of interest – email editor@w4mp.org
Latest news below, or you can read all news items.
The WWG has published the results of this year’s annual survey of staff undertaken on behalf of the WWG by Dr Ashley Weinberg from Salford University. You can find the results and the WWG response on the WWG Wellbeing Hub:https://hopuk.sharepoint.com/sites/hct-wellbeinghub
The recent announcements about cyber campaigns against the Electoral Commission and MPs from Deputy PM Oliver Dowden have been widely reported, and should concern everyone in Parliament. There is an extensive guide to cyber security on ParliNet, and we suggest reviewing the guidance there and ensuring that your office and personal systems are properly secured.
The new online system for registering MPs’ Interests went live on Tuesday 19 March 2024. In order for staff proxies to use the new service, the Member must first log in and set up the correct permissions for them. To find out more, please see here: https://parlinet.parliament.uk/information-resources/news-newsletters-notices/news/2023/october/new-registration-of-interests-system/ or drop in at one of the information…
Join the Vote Office to learn more about its role in Parliament and develop your understanding of parliamentary business papers, publications and government reports. There are three online sessions covering different aspect of the Vote Office’s work. Each session lasts for thirty minutes. Introduction to the Vote Office: Monday 25 March 2024 at 1-1.30pmVote Office…
Did you know that the Members’ Services Team runs discussion forums on Teams for Caseworkers and those who have a management role in an MP’s office? The Members’ Office Management Forum has a weekly meeting at 11:00 every Wednesday which is full of useful information and gives the opportunity to raise queries with representatives from…
This short online course is designed to give learners an overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To find out more and enrol, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=1344
IPSA has published the salary ranges for 2024-2025 and they can be found here: https://www.ipsaonline.org.uk/guidance/pay-and-benefits London area: https://www.ipsaonline.org.uk/guidance/pay-and-benefits#mps-staff-pay-ranges-2024-25-london-area Non-London area: https://www.ipsaonline.org.uk/guidance/pay-and-benefits#mps-staff-pay-ranges-2024-25-non-london-area
Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: Thursday 21 March 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The March 2024 forum will be on the topic of Local government finance for caseworkers. We will be joined by Mark Sandford from the Library’s Parliament and Constitution Centre and Phil Brien from our Economic Policy and Statistics Section. To book, click here:…
The Education and Engagement Service (EES) will be hosting its next residential UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador Programme 1-3 July 2024. This programme offers a unique three-day course where teachers get to experience the workings of Parliament first-hand before returning to their classrooms to build their students’ understanding and increase their engagement with UK Parliament. The…
Welcome to Parliament. The new joiner induction sessions are now available to book via the ACT portal if you have a new joiner in your office, please share with them. This session will welcome you to being part of the Parliamentary community and cover essential information from key House services that will help you to…
JOBS: a wide range of jobs relating to politics, including jobs working for MPs, Peers, MSPs and AMs.
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Job adverts can be found on w4mpjobs.
If you wish to place an job ad you can do so on w4mpjobs but please read the guidance carefully.
Further information
Hear what some others have said:
Events are starting to happen in the real world, but for the moment most of what’s listed here remains online.
If you want to tell us about an event that you think will be of interest to our readers, please complete the Event Submission form
Small ads from staff for accommodation – available or wanted – goods for sale etc.
We will only accept notices from staff of MPs or others with a current @parliament.uk email address. Use this form to submit a notice. Please don’t forget to let us know if your notice needs to be removed, e.g. if your accommodation has been let. If you have just started working for an MP and don’t have a parliamentary email address yet, ask a colleague to place a Notice for you.
Ref: 2977 Looking for a room from 11th November 2023. Can be flexible-ish on budget. Contact: Luke.holmes@parliament.uk
Ref: 2976 ROOM to let in Highgate home 30 mins from Westminster. Full use of house facilities including wifi and garden. £735 pcm inclusive. Contact: doddsel@parliament.uk
Ref: 2975 Looking for a room from October 2023 onwards. South London preferred but open to looking anywhere and can be flexible-ish on budget. Contact: Myersp@parliament.uk
Gov. uk has useful advice if you want to rent out a room in your home. If you are renting out either a room or a whole property, please read this important information on ‘Right to Rent’.
Training
The main resource for training for Members’ Staff is The Members’ 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 MST knows that people are interested. This will also ensure that you get a notification of when a session is available.
email: MST@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
Join the Vote Office to learn more about its role in Parliament and develop your understanding of parliamentary business papers, publications and government reports. There are three online sessions covering different aspect of the Vote Office’s work. Each session lasts for thirty minutes. Introduction to the Vote Office: Monday 25 March 2024 at 1-1.30pmVote Office…
This short online course is designed to give learners an overview of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). To find out more and enrol, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=1344
Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: Thursday 21 March 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The March 2024 forum will be on the topic of Local government finance for caseworkers. We will be joined by Mark Sandford from the Library’s Parliament and Constitution Centre and Phil Brien from our Economic Policy and Statistics Section. To book, click here:…
Welcome to Parliament. The new joiner induction sessions are now available to book via the ACT portal if you have a new joiner in your office, please share with them. This session will welcome you to being part of the Parliamentary community and cover essential information from key House services that will help you to…
Available to all Members’ Staff: Course Overview Most of the sessions are now fully booked, but there are still spaces for 26 March 2024 from 09:30 to 11:30. You can also join the wait-list for future sessions. To sign up or join the wait-list, please go to ACT: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2109 and log in using your Parliamentary…
Posted in Training
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Tagged CV, learning, training
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The ICO is hosting a webinar for Members’ staff on Constituency Casework Data and Dissolution on Thursday 7 March from 2pm. There will be an open Q&A session where you can ask any questions on this subject. To attend, please visit this page and then follow the link to register: https://parlinet.parliament.uk/information-resources/news-newsletters-notices/news/2024/february/preparing-casework-for-dissolution/
House of Commons Training Session Course Overview Sessions available on: To book, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2109
Time: 14:30 – 15:30Date: Thursday 22 February 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The February 2024 forum will be on the topic of Common employment law disputes. We will be joined by Patrick Brione from the Library’s Business and Transport Section. To book, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/signup.php?s=16610
Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: Thursday 18 January 2024Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams The January 2024 forum will be on the topic of Boundary changes: how to find data about new constituencies. We will be joined by staff from the Library’s Social and General Statistics Section. To sign up, please go here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/signup.php?s=16606
Please join the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Advocacy Team, who will raise awareness of Disability Services, to support your constituents. The Team will cover the Access to Work (ATW) grant which supports people with a health condition or a disability to get into and retain work. If you have a question you would…
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