Campaigning: an introduction

Sharon StanleyParliament’s Outreach Service

Parliament’s Outreach Service• A service from the

Houses of Parliament• Politically neutral• Aim is to increase

knowledge and engagement with work and processes of Parliament

• Can come to groups and explain how to engage with Parliament

A policy timeline

Manifestodiscussion

Green PaperWhite Paper

Pre-legislativescrutiny

Generalelection

Queen’sSpeech

Passage of Bill through Parliament

An Act

Manifesto discussion

• Conservatives www.conservatives.com

• Labour www.labour.org.uk

• Scottish Nationalist Party www.snp.org• Liberal Democrats

www.libdems.org.uk • Other

Parliament• comprises House of Commons, House of Lords and Monarch• holds Government to account• passes laws

General election

Government• some MPs and some

Peers, chosen by the Prime Minister

• runs Government Departments and public services

Make up of the House of Commons State of the Parties - May 2015

Conservative

Labour

SNP

DUP

Liberal Democrat

Sinn Fein

Plaid Cymru

SDLP

Ulster Unionist

UKIP

Green

Speaker

Independent

Queen’s Speech

• Read the Queen’s Speech online in Hansard• Watch the Queen’s Speech on www.parliamentlive.tv

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/queens-speech-2015-what-it-means-for-you/queens-speech-2015-what-it-means-for-you

Pre-legislative scrutiny• Draft Bills or draft clauses of

a bill• Mainly looked into by House

of Commons Select Committees but can be Joint Committees or House of Lords Committees

Passage of a bill

Bill starting in the House of Commons

Bill starting in the House of Lords

House of Commons

1 2 C R 3

House of Commons

1 2 C R 3

House of Lords

1 2 C R 3

House of Lords

1 2 C R 3

First r

eading

Second re

ading

Committee st

age

Report re

ading

Third re

ading

First r

eading

Second re

ading

Committee st

age

Report re

ading

Third re

ading

A

A

Considera

tion of

amendments

Royal Assent

Royal Assent

Commons: how to get involvedWhen to contact an MP about a Bill:

• Second reading• Public Bill Committee – find out who chairs the

committee• Report Stage

Where to find information online:

• Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/• Find an MP -

www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

Lords: how to get involvedWhen to contact a Peer about a Bill:

• Second reading• Committee stage• Report Stage• Third reading

Where to find information online:

• Speakers list - www.lordswhips.org.uk/todays-lists • Bills - http://services.parliament.uk/bills/• Find a Peer -

www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/

Post-legislative scrutiny

• A relatively new thing• Ad hoc committees as well

as select committees in both Houses

• Memoranda issued from Government Departments

House of Commons Library

• The House of Commons Library briefings cover all major pieces of legislation, other major policy areas, topical issues, statistics and FAQs

• Legislation briefings are also on the bills pages

• Our blog includes regular analysis from our specialists http://commonslibraryblog.com/

• Key issues for the new Parliament available in the foyer

http://www.parliament.uk/commons-library@commonslibrary

www.parliament.uk

www.parliament.uk

Your next steps...• Watch, read or attend a debate on a bill

• Use http://services.parliament.uk/bills/ to find information on specific bills (e.g. Library briefing papers or amendment papers)

• Use www.parliament.uk to research MPs and Peers with an interest in your issue

• Write to an interested MP or Peer about your issue

• Read the advice on submitting evidence to Public Bill Committees

• Submit evidence to a Public Bill Committee

Where can I get information?• www.parliament.uk @UKParliament

• Commons Information Office020 7219 4272 @HouseofCommons hcinfo@parliament.uk

• Lords Information Office020 7219 3107 @UKHouseofLords hlinfo@parliament.uk

• Parliament’s Outreach Service020 7219 1650@UKParlOutreach outreach@parliament.uk