Behind the Scenes with the Official Report

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Join Hansard reporters for a 90-minute session in which we explain how we accurately report Members’ speeches and the proceedings of Parliament. We talk about who are our readers are, the challenges of parliamentary reporting and which are the most popular debates, and we finish up with a tour of our offices and where we sit in the Chamber to best see all the action.

We are holding sessions on the mornings and afternoons of Tuesday 21 and Tuesday 28 July, at 11 am and 1.30 pm. You don’t need to have any prior knowledge of Hansard to come along, and we welcome staff from all parts of the House.

For further information or to book your place on a session, please email hansardoutreach@parliament.uk

Library talk – Local government reorganisation: Vantage point summer 2026

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Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 9 July 2026
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=9728

This talk will analyse the decisions made on local government reorganisation in March 2026, and the implications of any developments since. It will then reiterate the timetable for the implementation of the policy. It will also trace the implications for Government decisions on the remainder of two-tier areas in England.

Bank of England: Setting interest rates and the Monetary Policy Committee

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Training session with the Bank of England

Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Date: Tuesday 7 July 2026
Location: Parliament
Further information and booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=2339

Inflation, Setting Interest Rates & the MPC

Join Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Megan Greene, for a Lunch & Learn followed by Q&A on how the Bank of England sets interest rates to meet the 2% inflation target.

NEW DATE – London and South East Roadshow 

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The London and South East roadshow has been rescheduled for Thursday 10 September 2026.

You are invited to attend the upcoming roadshow event for London and South East offices. The event will be delivered by the Members and Members’ staff Services Team (MMSST) in the House of Commons. We really hope that you will be able to attend.

If you have already signed up, you will not need to re-register for the new date; MMSST will shortly send you a new calendar invitation.

To register to attend please email mmsst@parliament.uk

Library/NAO talk: Unlocking land for housing

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Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 2 July 2026
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=9857

The government has set a milestone to deliver 1.5 million new homes over this Parliament to July 2029. This will require building more than 300,000 homes per annum on average, a level of housebuilding that was last achieved in the 1960s. The government says a chronic undersupply of land underpins the housing crisis. It believes there is suitable land in England for housebuilding that is not being developed by the market as it is not profitable or attractive enough for developers to build on in its current form. This can be due to factors such as the need for remediation work, a lack of infrastructure such as roads, or pieces of land making up a site being owned by different people or companies.

Join the National Audit Office as they discuss the key findings from their report on Unlocking land for housing. They assess whether MHCLG’s programmes to increase the supply of suitable land for housing development are effectively supporting the government’s ambitions to build the right homes in the right places. 

The National Audit Office (NAO) is the UK’s independent public spending watchdog. It supports Parliament in holding government to account and helps improve public services through its audits.

Library/NAO talk: Access to Work scheme

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Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 25 June 2026
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=9875

Access to Work is a demand-led grant scheme to help people get, or stay in, work if they have a physical or mental health condition or disability. Funding may pay for things like specialist equipment, support workers such as a British Sign Language interpreter, the costs of travelling to work and physical adaptations to the workplace.  The Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) typically approves support for individuals for three years, up to a maximum annual total, which was £69,260 in 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Join the National Audit Office as they discuss key findings from their report on The Access to Work scheme, which covers:

  • the purpose of the Access to Work scheme
  • take-up of the scheme
  • how DWP is managing the increased take-up of the scheme

The National Audit Office (NAO) is the UK’s independent public spending watchdog. It supports Parliament in holding government to account and helps improve public services through its audits.

Library talk: The NATO Summit 2026

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The NATO summit will take place in Ankara on 7 and 8 July. Join Library experts from our International Affairs and Defence team to find out more about the key topics for discussion and what we might expect from the Summit.

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: 18 June 2026
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=10108

Library Talk: Representation of the People Bill

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Need a refresher on the Representation of the People Bill? As the bill is carried over into the next parliamentary session, this talk can help you get the facts on the main points of the bill, key changes at committee and more.

Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Date: Tuesday 9 June 2026
Location: Online via Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/mod/facetoface/view.php?id=9727

Welcome to Parliament (Members’ Staff Induction)

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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 in and get off to a good start in your new role.

If you have not yet obtained your parliamentary network access and would like to book, please contact MMSST@parliament.uk


Time: 10:00 – 12:00
Date: 18 June 2026
Location: Online via MS Teams
Booking: https://parliament.learningpool.com/course/view.php?id=1341