Following decisions from the Administration Committee, Lords Services Committee and House of Commons Commission, two changes to how these tours are booked and delivered will come into effect from 2 January 2026. These changes are intended to provide a simplified, more flexible system for schools and constituents.
Read about the changes here on Parlinet – Changes to Member-sponsored ‘Inside UK Parliament’ tours
This year’s House Services Fair will take place from Tuesday 9 – Wednesday 10 December. The Fair is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the brilliant work teams from across the House do every day to make Parliament happen.
Get involved
For more information visit ParliNet | Visit the House Service Fair
New guidance has been issued on escorting guests on the visitor route in Parliament, including a new tour script.
Please visit https://parlinet.parliament.uk/on-the-estate/visitor-access/visitor-route/ for details of the route and the permissions and rules required relating to escorting guests.
Please note that Members’ staff on occasional day passes, even if security-cleared, are not permitted to escort guests.
This summer, join the Commons Library for a free tour of our much-loved Members’ Library.
Open to MPs’ staff and House administration staff, these tours are an opportunity to explore our unique heritage space, learn more about the history of the Library and see highlights from our collection.
Tours will last an hour and are led by our friendly Members’ Library team. Sign up now: Intro to the Library: Summer Library Tours
Dates:
Find out what Parliament is doing to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, including events, displays and learning resources.
See their website here: Remembering Parliament’s World War Two Contributions
Members’ staff wanted to test the Participation Services Dashboard.
The Participation team is looking for Members’ staff to take part in a pilot study testing the Participation Services Dashboard, a tool to give you quick and easy insights into how your constituents are engaging with services offered by the Participation team. This includes their involvement in education programmes, tours of Parliament and sign-ups for UK Parliament Week.
Volunteers would need to attend three 30-minute online meetings from early June to mid-July – a range of times will be offered to best fit your diary.
For more information or to register your interest, please visit Parlinet or email participationdashboardenquiries@parliament.uk
Not sure where to find it and want to know more about the services offered here? Why not come on a tour of the Derby Gate Library. Tours will be running at 10am and 2pm on the following dates:
Tours are expected to last approx. 20minutes. A maximum of 10 people per tour.:
The tour will start in Portcullis House by the Despatch Box Coffee Shop and we’ll escort you to Derby Gate Library from there.
To book, please call or email: x3666 / commonslibrary@parliament.uk with details of which date and time slot (10am or 2pm) you would like.
We may be able to offer alternative dates to suit you, so please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
From 23 January schools can apply online for a free school visit to UK Parliament
From 10am on Thursday 23 January, schools in each constituency will be able to request a free school visit to UK Parliament this Summer Term (April to July). Eligible schools visiting from outside London and the South East of England could claim up to 85% (up to £2,400) of their receipted travel costs back with our travel subsidy.
Each term, the Education Centre has a very high number of applications from schools. We try to ensure as many schools as possible can visit us, but with over 33,000 schools across the UK and around 1,000 slots available, demand outweighs capacity. To ensure fair access, we will be processing applications on a first come, first served basis and a queue management system will be in place on the day.
For full details, please see here: ParliNet | Free summer term school visits
During the 2022 House Services Fair in July, many staffers were able to go on a Doorkeepers guided tour of the Palace. However, if you didn’t manage to go on one of the tours, you can now view a virtual tour on the intranet, guided by Deputy Principal Doorkeeper Ross Carlin.
You must have a parliamentary network account in order to be able to view this video, which lasts just over 11 minutes.
See the video here: https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/d16125ac-59fd-4453-a772-de8adc673faa?list=studio
During this fully guided tour, you will visit the State Apartments of Speaker’s House, the rarely seen part of the Palace of Westminster where the Speaker conducts official business and resides. You will discover the history and traditions of the role of the Speaker and see the magnificent artworks on display, including a unique set of 46 portraits of Speakers through the years, dating back to the 16th Century.
For full details please visit: https://ukparliament.seetickets.com/timeslot/the-state-apartments-of-speaker-s-house-tour