This course will cover the essentials of good writing which are needed for drafting briefings such as content, structure, layout & use of language that meets the reader’s needs, and the process of drafting, editing and clearing a briefing.
For full details and dates, click here: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=553
What is a division? Where is the Lobby? What is the difference between a PPS, a PPC, an APPG and a POPTART? And, the greatest mystery of them all, just what exactly are the Lords doing when they are “at pleasure”?
One of the most overwhelming difficulties of starting a job in parliament can be coming to terms with the language, which quite often might as well be Swahili for a newcomer.
In an attempt to help the public connect with parliament, the Modernisation Committee made some changes to the language and procedures used around the place. For example, the procedure whereby Members wishing to raise a point of order used to have to wear a special hat, like a pirate, was abolished in 1998 to the dismay of the more fashionably (and piratically ) minded MPs of the time.
Similarly, ‘I spy strangers’ (formerly used to request that the House sit in private), ‘strangers’ being members of the public, was abolished in and replaced with the rather less romantic request that the ‘House sit in private’.
While there may be a certain smugness which emanates from being able to understand such obscurities, many feel that the use of such language further turns off an already disengaged public. Others argue it creates a sense of occasion and tradition and helps maintain dignified discussion.
The BBC also has a very good jargon-buster, called the A-Z of Parliament.
Parliament’s Education Service works with schools to support young people’s understanding of Parliament and democracy; they are here: https://learning.parliament.uk/en/
ES March 2013
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: [email protected]
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.
Time: 14:30 – 15:30Date: 8 May 2025Location: Online via MS Teams The Casework Discussion Forum takes place each month via MS Teams. The topic for May’s forum meeting will be a Local transport Q&A (UK wide). We’ll be joined by Roger Tyers and Mike Benson from the Library’s Business and Transport team, and Iona Stewart from the…
A free seminar from the Pensions Policy Institute, kindly sponsored by Phoenix Group. Time: 12:00 – 13:00Date: Tuesday 13 May 2025Location: Central Hall Westminster, Dinsdale Young Room, Storey’s Gate, London, SW1H 9NH Pensions are important, but can be very confusing. We can help with this The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) would like to invite you…
House of Commons Library Talk Session outline People who move to the UK can often make it their permanent home after a while by applying for indefinite leave to remain and then British citizenship. We’ll discuss how this works, how long it normally takes and recent announcements in this area from both the Labour government…
House of Commons Library Talk Session outline Cash access, use and acceptance are declining. Recent legislation has tried to address the issues this causes for people reliant on cash. This talk will outline the law in this area and how caseworkers can help constituents with cash access requests. Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: 24 April 2025Location:…
By Jennifer Lees-MarshmentProfessor of Political Management and Marketing at The University of Dundee Wednesday April 2nd at 2pm This workshop will present practical recommendations for supporting staff in political offices. These were created by interviewing political advisors who worked for Prime Ministers, Ministers and MPs in the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand about what…
Time: 10:30 – 11:30Date: 8 April 2025Location: Online via MS Teams The Casework Discussion Forum takes place each month via MS Teams. For the April 2025 forum we will be joined by staff from the Home Office MP account management team. The session will provide an overview of the Home Office MPAM team and a chance…
The Bank of England wishes to invite Members of Parliament to a briefing in Portcullis House on Thursday 27th March from 9.30-11.00: How the Work of the Bank of England Affects Your Constituents The Bank’s wide-ranging work – on interest rates, the safety of the financial system, managing the UK’s high-value payment system, and supplying genuine, difficult-to-counterfeit banknotes, among…
A new online course has become available for Members’ staff – an introduction to British Sign Language. If you would be interested in joining the waiting list for this course, please follow this link: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2366
Welcome to Parliament. The new joiner induction sessions are 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 settle…
The topic for March’s forum meeting will be the Police complaints system (England & Wales). We’ll be joined by William Downs from the Library’s Home Affairs Section for an overview of the police complaints and conduct system, including recent changes to the conduct system, common misunderstandings of police complaints and a Q&A. Time: 14:30 –…