Register of Interests – Staff

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Introduction

All staff who hold a parliamentary network account must register their interests within 28 days of those interests arising. Their names will be redacted on the published register, but the job titles will be shown. Those with nothing to declare must make a ‘nil’ registration and their job title will not appear on the register.

You can learn more at https://parlinet.parliament.uk/information-resources/registers-of-interest/members-staff/ but here’s the key information:

You must register:

  • Any occupation or employment for which you receive over £470 from the same source in the course of a calendar year, if that occupation or employment is in any way advantaged by the  privileged access to Parliament afforded by your pass.
  • Any gift (eg jewellery) or benefit (eg hospitality, services) that you receive, if the gift or benefit in any way relates to or arises from your work in Parliament and its value exceeds £470 in the course of a calendar year (i.e. January to December).
  • Members’ staff still need to register payments, such as income from surveys, even if they are passed directly to charity.  The name of the charity will not be published.

When deciding whether to make an entry:

  • ask yourself whether the remuneration you receive could be perceived as having an influence your behaviour/conduct as a privileged Commons passholder;
  • if in doubt, err on the side of caution and seek advice from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards office.

Obligations for Special Advisors

Since the overhaul of the Parliamentary Pass colour-coding most Special Advisors are issued with the pink passes that identify the holder as a civil servant.  However, there are some instances where Special Advisors also have duties in the Parliamentary office of their Cabinet Minister and hold a secretary/research assistant pass.

In these circumstances you must register the name of the Department that you work for and your job title in that department eg ‘Special Adviser, Cabinet Office’.

Councillors’ expenses and obligations for party workers

If you are an elected Councillor and receive either an allowance or expenses for your work, then these must be declared on the Register under “occupations”. (eg ‘Councillor, London Borough of Lambeth’).  Similarly, if you receive remuneration from a political party, then you must declare this on the Register under the same heading.

Bursaries

If staff are in receipt of a non-educational bursary that exceeds £470 per calendar year, this must be declared on the Register.

Exemptions

Be sensible.  Whilst a whopping bursary from a large brewery company should obviously be declared, nobody is seriously going to think that your part-time bar work on Saturdays is going to be in danger of tempting you to exert a pernicious influence on your employer or the democratic process.  If in doubt, however, call the Parliamentary Commissioner’s for Standards office to ask for advice.

Cumulative payments

Multiple payments received from the same source are registrable if cumulatively their value exceeds £470 in the course of a calendar year (1 January to 31 December), even if individually one or more payment is worth less than £470.

Current Register

You can check your current register entry by viewing the Register of Interests of Members’ Secretaries and Research Assistants, which is published on Parliament’s website.

Contact

For more information, contact the  Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standard using the details on this page.