Home

About Us     Site Map    Feeback    Help

Essential New Information
Bulletins 151 to 200 (5 November 2002 to 7 February 2003)

 

This page features new information - as we receive it.   How to find your way about, where you can get help and advice, details of briefing events, etc.

If you have discovered any new information which you feel other staff could use, let us know by using the website's Feedback Form.

Bulletins 1-50     Bulletins 51- 100    Bulletins 101- 150
Bulletins 151-200    Bulletins 201-250    Bulletins 251 onwards

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 200

Writing to Ministers - use the correct postal address, please !

Are you unwittingly slowing down responses from Government Ministers by writing to them at the wrong address?  Of course you're not!  Well, just click here to make sure, why don't you.

Posted 7 February 2003

 

Information Bulletin 199

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards: new website 

The Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards now has a web page on the parliamentary intranet (PDVN).   The website covers: Background, Responsibilities, Publications, Contact details, with several useful links.  You will find it at: http://pdvnsco.parliament.uk/PCFS/Homepage.htm

Posted 5 February 2003

 

Information Bulletin 198

Meeting on Tuesday 4 February: new unemployment rates for constituencies 

The Library is hosting a meeting at 4.15pm on Tuesday 4 February in Committee Room 21 at which staff from the Office for National Statistics will explain recent changes to unemployment rates for constituencies.  For further information, please contact Dominic Webb on extension 2464 or at webbd@parliament.uk

This information is posted at: http://hcl1.hclibrary.parliament.uk/Whatsnew/whatsnew.asp

Posted 4 February 2003

 

Information Bulletin 197

Forthcoming Business of the House of Commons: resources

There are a number of ways you can find out about forthcoming business in both Houses.  Click here for ways of accessing this information, both on the public website and via PDVN.

Posted 3 February 2003

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 196

Contracts of Employment for MPs' staff

Click here for information about the different types of contract available for MPs' staff: permanent, fixed-term, casual, etc.

Posted 30 January 2003
Revised 23 July 2003

 

Information Bulletin 195

Commons Calendar until 30 October 2003

Click here for an up-to-date calendar showing all the Sitting Days until the end of the current Session.

Posted 29 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 194

Palace of Westminster Sports & Social Club

Know where it is?  Familiar with what the Club offers?  Click here.

Posted 28 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 193

New edition of Business of the House and its committees: a short guide

The new online version of this essential guide is now available.  Click here for details of that and where to get hard copies.

Posted 27 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 192

Centrally provided insurance

Click here for access to all the information you need about centrally provided insurance cover for your office, equipment, staff etc.

Posted 24 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 191

New Clerk of the House

For information about the new Clerk, Roger Sands, click here.

Posted 23 January 2003

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 190

Commons Guidance and Information resources

Click here for information about accessing the Commons Guidance and Information page which I includes links to all the vital sources.   It's available only via the parliamentary intranet.

Posted 22 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 189

Refreshment Department website

Click here for full details and a preview of this excellent and comprehensive website.  Yummy!

Posted 20 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 188

Vote Office hours revised

From the return of the House on 7 January 2003 the Issue Office in Members Lobby now opens from 08.00 Monday -Thursday. The Main Issue Office, on the Lower Ground Floor, remains available from 07.30. The Main Issue Office and the Issue Office in Portcullis House will also remain open on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings until 22.00, if the House has risen earlier. Vote Office enquiries: 020 7219 3631.

Posted 17 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 187

Members and Constituency Etiquette: new Standard Note

Now here's a new SN with lots of good practical advice.  It must be good; it quotes this website!

Posted 16 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 186

New Parliamentary IT catalogues available

The new catalogues are out.  Click here for information and access details.

Posted 15 January 2003

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 185

Assessment starts of Parliament's IT security

Click here to read the message from Mark Bailey, Parliament's new IT Security Manager

Posted 14 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 184

Parliamentary privilege: implications for staff and MPs

"Qualified privilege in relation to Parliament and Absolute privilege" is the title of a recent Standard Note which has important implications for MPs' staff.  It was updated on 16 December 2003 and you should take trouble to read it as it gives crucial advice on how you (and your MP) should deal with a number of specific situations relating to constituents, the press and others, in speeches inside and outside the chamber, correspondence, etc.

Click here for more information.

Posted 13 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 183

Maps of the Parliamentary Estate

A comprehensive selection of maps of the parliamentary estate is now available on PDVN, with a couple accessible via the public website.  Click here for the full list.

Posted 10 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 182

Tours of the Palace of Westminster: update for Jan to July 2003

Click here for the latest information, including a booking form.

Posted 8 January 2003
Revised 22 February 2003

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 181

New Commons working hours from 7 January 2003: details

Click here for the details...plus how to register for regular news emails from Gallery News.

Posted 7 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 180

FAQs about the Commons: 71 popular questions

The essential list of answers to questions your constituents ask you.  Click here to see how many you know already.  There are 71 questions for the Commons and 26 for the Lords.

Posted 7 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 179

Health and Safety policy for constituency offices

Here's one wheel you don't have to reinvent.  Click here to access our suggested model Health and Safety policy for constituency offices, plus links to other HSAW websites.

Posted 6 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 178

Library Training Courses: January to February 2003

Click here for the full list (PDF file) of courses during January and February 2003.  These cover the following and, provided you are currently on PDVN, you can go straight to relevant page by clicking on these links: Library Intranet Pages, POLIS Intranet, Searching the Parliamentary Intranet, Parliamentary Sources (WWW), Media Sources, Searching the Internet (WWW).

Posted 2 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 177

Children and Parliament: websites

There are a number of websites and other resources suitable for children and young people  (and their parents and teachers) learning about Parliament.  Click here for a list of some of them.   If you can add to the list, please let us know of others by using our Feedback Form.

Posted 29 December 2002

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 176

PCD's remedies for SPAM problems

Click here to see the solutions which PCD has now activated to deal with SPAM problems experienced by MPs and their staff.  If you have any comments, please address them directly to PCD, as requested in the message from the Serjeant at Arms.

Posted 24 December 2002
Revised: 27 March 2003

 

Information Bulletin 175

Refreshment Department: Christmas arrangements 2002

Due to unexpected maintenance works, there will be no catering or bar services in the Palace (House of Commons) from Monday 23 December until Friday 03 January (both dates inclusive).  During this period, the services will be open in the outbuildings. Click here for full information of what's open when.

Posted 23 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 174

Work experience students in MPs' offices: a Guide for Managers

For a handy guide from the Finance and Administration Department on how to best provide for work experience students in your office, click here.

Posted 20 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 173

MPs' Allowances spending to be published

The Speaker has announced that under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the House will publish the total sum for each allowance which each Member has used for each financial year. Click here for more details on this and on the review of the new allowances system which is now underway.

Posted 19 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 172

SNs and RPs outnumber turkeys - Christmas shocker

In a race to provide you with all the Christmas reading you could possibly want, the Commons Library has been churning out their excellent Standard Notes and Research Papers by the dozen this month.  Click here for your stocking fillers.

Posted 18 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 171

Media Sources: data base and links

Here’s another essential Library resource, which you may not be using to the full. Click here to access this very comprehensive collection of media and information sources.  More than enough for your Christmas Recess reading.

Posted 17 December 2002

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 170

"The Usual Channels" - time for a change?

A new report from The Hansard Society, Opening Up the Usual Channels, is published Wednesday December 11. It uncovers the people, the personalities and the systems that organise business in Parliament and questions whether this world of secrecy and discretion best serves the interests of parliamentary scrutiny and democracy. To read the summary of the report click here.

Posted 12 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 169

The Week Ahead: guide to next week's business

Updated every Saturday when Parliament will be sitting the next week.  Click here for links.

Posted 9 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 168

Parliamentary Current Awareness Service - PCAS

This service - renewed daily when Parliament is sitting - provides a summary of what is happening in the field of Parliament and the Constitution.  Click here for more information.

Posted 7 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 167

10 things you can get from the Library

Do you know about all the resources available from the House of Commons Library.  Click here to try this list of 10 for starters.

Posted 5 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 166

Tabling Oral Questions: new arrangements from January 2003

Click here to see an extract from the Summary Agenda for Monday 2 December 2002 which sets out the new arrangements for tabling Oral Questions from January 2003.  It also covers transitional arrangements in the period until the Christmas Recess.

Posted 3 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 165

Two vital Library resource papers updated

Click on the titles below to see the recently - November 2002 - revised versions:

  1. Services for Constituency-based Staff

  2. Services for Members' Staff

These are both PDF documents.

Posted 2 December 2002

 

Information Bulletin 164

Westminster "Seaworld" opens in January 

No, really!  It's not a name this sober website can condone, of course, but that's what some are calling the plan to glass in the back of the Strangers Gallery and allow tour groups to view the Commons Chamber in action.  Click here for more information.  Your constituents will want to know about this when you are booking tours for them.

We have some updated news on the proposed Visitor Centre as well.  Click here.

Posted 30 November 2002
Revised 19 December 2002

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 163

Bill Information Pages - Library Briefings for the new Session 

Check out the new Bill Information Pages for this Session.  These pages, provided by the House of Commons Library on PDVN, will provide background briefings on major Government Bills, the top seven balloted Private Members' Bills and other selected Bills.

Click here for information and access.

Posted 28 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 162

Commons Publication Scheme under the Freedom of Information Act: UPDATE 

The publication scheme provisions of the FOI Act comes into force on 30 November 2002 and the Government are planning a media briefing on Government schemes on Thursday 28 November. So you are briefed on this development, click here for full details.

We reported earlier on this issue in Bulletin 119 below.

Posted 27 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 161

PCD Helpdesk (x2001) Improvements

Excellent news!  In response to customer feedback and requests, PCD is making changes (from Monday 25 November) to the opening hours of its Helpdesk and the way calls are handled.  Click here for full information.

Posted 24 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 160

Library's Topical Issues pages:  Firefighters, Iraq etc.

Reminder about the Library’s Topical Issues page on current and recent topics of interest, such as the Firefighters' dispute and Irag.  Click here for a preview and links to the current page.

Posted 22 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 159

Spot mistakes in new List of Ministerial Responsibilities

The October 2002 revised version is now out.....in a fetching shade of yellow.  Available, as ever, from any of the Vote Offices (020 7219 3631) or viewable in PDF form on the internet at: http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/central/2002/lmr09.pdf  As we've said before, this is one publication you cannot do without.   An alternative is the excellent http://www.knowledgenetwork.gov.uk/elmr/minister.nsf which has the advantage of being updated regularly to reflect Ministerial changes.

If you have spotted any mistakes, use the Feedback Form to let us know.  We already know of four and you can now see them in a new feature on this website: Pedants' Corner.

Posted 21 November 2002
Revised 10 June 2003

 

Information Bulletin 158

Strangers Gallery Allocation Dates: 7 January to 18 December 2003

Click here to see the whole list (Word document).  This also shows all the SITTING Fridays next year - now all listed on the Events page as well.

Posted 19 November 2002
Revised 25 November 2002

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Information Bulletin 157

Help with costs of constituency security measures

Click here for details of a scheme for central contributions towards the costs of measures taken to improve security in the constituency.

Posted 18 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 156

Action promised to filter out porn on PDVN

The Leader of the House, Robin Cook, yesterday revealed that a decision has been taken to acquire filters to deal with porn emails.  Click here for more information.

Posted 15 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 155

FIRE BRIGADES UNION STRIKE - PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

Click here to view the letter sent out by the Serjeant at Arms and Black Road on Wednesday 13 November.

Posted 14 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 154

Tours of the Palace - the new arrangements

Beginning on Tuesday 19 November 2002, tours will be arranged with the Central Tours Office.  

This information was updated on 8 January 2003.  Click here.

Posted:  13 November 2002
Updated: 8 January 2003

 

Information Bulletin 153

Stakeholder Pensions for Staff - latest information

Click here for the latest Communication from the Finance and Admin Dept.

Posted: 12 November 2002
Latest revision: 24 March 2003

 

Information Bulletin 152

Personnel Advice Service - Latest Newsletter

The Finance and Admin Department's Personnel Advice Service Newsletter was published in October 2002.  This is aimed at Members but contains lots of useful information for MPs' staff as well.  If you haven't seen a hard copy, it's available on-line as well.  Only accessible via PDVN, you should check it out now at:  http://cfinw01/fanda/pmatters/pas/pdf/pasnews1002.pdf

Or click here for full information about Issue Two - October 2002.

Posted: 11 November 2002

 

Information Bulletin 151

New Library courses: "Parliament - introduction and documentation"

The Library is running a series of basic training sessions under the general heading Parliament – introduction and documentation. While aimed mainly at staff of the House, the sessions are also open to Member's staff.  Click here for more information.

Posted: 5 November 2002

wpe5.jpg (860 bytes)

Bulletins 1-50     Bulletins 51- 100    Bulletins 101- 150
Bulletins 151-200    Bulletins 201-250    Bulletins 251 onwards

Hit Counter

Home | Help | Feedback | Site Map | About Us

To the top