Module 8 - Engaging with National Policy

Migrant and refugee community groups often get overlooked by national policy but decisions made at this level effect all parts of society. It is important to look at, participate, and advocate for your groups in many different areas of national policy.

Alasdair Mackenzie and Claire from the Parliament Outreach Office presented for the MRCF Digital Activism course on November 9th about how migrant and refugee organisations can engage with Parliament. 


Here are a few notes from the presentation along with contact information:

Alasdair Mackenzie - Parliamentary Outreach Officer
t: 020 7219 4214
e: mackenziea@parliament.uk

Parliament Outreach website

Early day motions

Allows MPs to show their opinion on a particular subject

Can be used to:

-Draw attention to an issue
-Call for action
-Commemorate, congratulate, condemn

All-party parliamentary groups

Cross-party
Both MPs and Members of the House of Lords
Based around common interest (e.g. Housing and care for older people, motor neurone disease, football) or countries of the world
Not involved in formal decision making, but important in developing knowledge

Can be used to:

-Find the group related to your topic (Register Of All-Party Groups)
-Look for which MPs are active in the group
-Find the contact of the MPs (here)
-Contact MP or researchers with information or issues

Parliamentary questions

Can be used to:

-Obtain information like stats, policies, positions
-Press for action
-Raise constituency issues
-Challenge Government policy
-Must have factual basis and relate to the running of a Government Department

Parliament debates

Opposition day debates
Adjournment debates (HoC)
Questions for Short Debate (HoL)
Allows MPs and Members of the HoL to account

Can be used to:

-Raise constituency issues or matters of regional, national or international significance
-Get the issue to the attention of a relevant minister
-Get a response from the Government

The Official Report of Parliament (Hansard)

Transcribed text of every debate and committee session held in Parliament are accessible online:

House of Commons - Hansard

House of Lords - Hansard

Select committees

Set up to scrutinise specific areas of work and government departments
Work carried out through public Inquiries
Groups and individuals submit evidence to inquiries
Inquiry report created and usually passed to relevant government department

Can be used to:

-Contact the staff of Select Committees directly
-Ask about forthcoming or planned inquiries
-Suggest areas that the Committee might like to look into
-If an inquiry is taking place, you can contact Committee staff for advice on preparing written evidence
-If you are called to give oral evidence, you can contact Committee staff for help to prepare
-Select Committees can do follow-up inquiries after the Government have responded to their reports

Select Committees A-Z

Legislation

All legislation proposed by the Government must be scrutinised by both Houses of Parliament
Each Bill goes through the same stages in each House - First Reading, Second Reading, Committee, Report, Third Reading – before it reaches Royal Assent
Members can suggest changes (“amendments”) at particular stages
Much of the most careful scrutiny goes on in Committee, particularly in the House of Lords

Ways to influence draft legislation:

Green Papers, White Papers
Pre-legislative Committees
Public Bill Committees
MPs and Members of the House of Lords

Resources

Parliament website
Commons information - 020 7219 4272
Lords information - 020 7219 3107
Scrutiny Unit - 020 7219 8381; scrutiny@parliament.uk

Contact details for any MP or Peer

-List of details of MP
-List of details of Peers

Prime Minister/ Number 10 website

-Coalition Government Programme This document lays out what the Government plans to do.
-Transparency Includes information about who does what inside the government, who is meeting who and giving gifts,  business plans, and organisational flow charts!
-Cabinet Office

They Work For You - Find what your representatives in government have been doing. Get emailed updates when they speak or give public appearances. Write to your MP through the website.

38Degrees - Create or sign online petitions to gather support for actions.

BBC Democracy Live - Live and recorded video of debates and hearings in Parliament.