The Government published a draft bill on 5 December that would create a Public Service Ombudsman for UK reserved matters and public services in England.

The draft bill would abolish the existing Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman and the Local Government Ombudsman, merging their existing responsibilities into a single Public Service Ombudsman (PSO).

The draft Public Service Ombudsman Bill aims to simplify the public service ombudsman system, while also ‘modernising’ aspects of it. The Government expects its proposals will “make it easier than ever before to rectify complaints about a range of public services.”

One of the draft bill’s most notable features is the removal of the ‘MP filter’ – the requirement that all complaints to the existing Parliamentary Ombudsman (PO) must be made through an MP. This filter is unique to the PO.

You can read more here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7864/

Come and see the Vote 100 exhibition on women’s suffrage and the Speaker’s Conference on Electoral Reform 1916-17.

• Date: Friday 6 January – Friday 3 February
• Location: The Atrium, Portcullis House

This event is open to all passholders; no need to book.

For further information, please contact the Vote 100 Exhibition Project team by email (vote100@parliament.uk) or on x1296.

Did you know that the British Red Cross has a free ‘Emergency App’?

Their unique app delivers real-time alerts, severe weather warnings and practical advice in an emergency.  You can set up alerts for your own area, and also for other areas where you may have friends or relatives.

It’s available free for IOS or Android from their website: http://www.redcross.org.uk/emergencyapp

MAPSA has decided to jump on the Christmas jumper bandwagon and hold their own event in Parliament.

This is part of Save the Children’s nationwide event so it’s for a brilliant cause as well as being highly amusing.

This is open to anyone, MAPSA or non MAPSA members so please tell your friends and get everyone involved – and most importantly please donate!

MAPSA will award a prize to the best jumper, so on Thursday and Friday, please send in pictures of you and your jumper on the Parliamentary Estate or in your constituency office to: hattie.turner@parliament.uk.

To donate, they have our their code.  Please text TEAMPOLITICS to 70050 to donate just £2 to Save the Children.

The House of Lords EU Committee – Parliament’s largest body responsible for scrutinising the European Union – will publish six reports on Brexit in six days, starting on 12 December.

The reports will identify key issues across a broad range of policy areas, making recommendations to the Government on what it should prioritise in Brexit negotiations.

These six reports will be followed in the New Year by further reports, ahead of the Government’s proposed deadline of March for triggering Article 50. Taken as a whole, this programme of work will be the most extensive and thorough parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit.

The publication schedule for the reports is:

Brexit: UK-Irish relations – Monday 12 December
Brexit: options for trade – Tuesday 13 December
Brexit: acquired rights – Wednesday 14 December
Brexit: financial services – Thursday 15 December
Brexit: future UK-EU security and policing cooperation – Friday 16 December
Brexit: fisheries – Saturday 17 December

For full details and the links to the published reports, see the Committee Page on the Parliament website.

According to a report on the BBC News website, MPs are to be surveyed about their mental health with questions about depression, their sense of self-worth and their drinking habits.

The report says:

Former health minister Dr Dan Poulter is conducting the study alongside King’s College London.

The Tory MP said he had seen colleagues clearly struggling with very low mood and behaving erratically under stress.

Researchers say it could establish if mental health issues are more prevalent among MPs than the general population.

The study, based on a standard psychiatric questionnaire, will ask MPs whether they feel they can face up to their problems, overcome difficulties or think of themselves as worthless.

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How can new technology build capacity, strengthen scrutiny and improve public engagement within the legislative process? 

Does Restoration and Renewal present a rare opportunity to experiment with more innovative working practices? We gathered leading thinkers and practitioners from Parliament and the tech arena to examine these themes at the opening event of Parliament Week 2016.

• Watch the event in full on YouTube – including w4mp editor Bill Thompson in a rare public foray.
• Read the first of three posts on the day’s key take-aways
• Explore the online conversation in the event storify

We don’t normally promote cabaret, but with Christmas coming up, we thought you might like to know that an old friend of w4mp, Ed Barker, will be launching his long awaited second album in a showcase on 6th December 2016 at one of London’s most exciting and intimate music venues, The Hippodrome Casino.

Come and celebrate the launch of Are You Listenin’? with an evening of spectacular music, special guests including BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s Lance Ellington, dinner, drinks and album giveaways…as well as the chance to get an exclusive, signed copy of the album in advance of its release date (12th December).

Tickets a mere £15 with discount code 061216HIPPODROME061216 from www.edbarker.co.uk

Please note that links to the old Parliamentary intranet have been removed as of October 2023. Please use search on ParliNet to find relevant current details, if available.

https://parlinet.parliament.uk/house-of-commons-members-staff/

Are you looking for something a little different for Christmas gifts?  Have a look at the Houses of Parliament Gift Shops for books, stationery, confectionery, gifts and much more.

On the intranet, you can view the House of Commons gift shop and the House of Lords Gift Shop, or on Parliament’s public website, you can look at the Houses of Parliament Gift Shop, which has a different range of items from the ones on the intranet.  Members of the public can also visit the Parliament shop at 12 Bridge Street, on the corner of Parliament Square.

The House of Commons Gift Shop’s Christmas events
Discount day – 23 November
The House of Commons 10% discount day will take place on Wednesday 23 November.  Members and all pass holders will receive a 10% discount on all gifts and books in the three House of Commons shops.  Members may order goods and have them delivered to their office on the Parliamentary Estate.  Please call the Retail Team on x3890 to place your order.

Christmas Fayre – 6 December
The highly popular Christmas Fayre will be held in Westminster Hall on Tuesday 6 December from 4.30-7.30pm.  This is another opportunity to take advantage of a 10% discount on all gifts and books both in Westminster Hall and in the Jubilee and House of Commons shops.

A selection of suppliers will showcase the Christmas range, giving you the opportunity to sample some wonderful and delicious products.  Suppliers include Godminster Cheese, Churchill’s Port, Image on Foods gingerbread and Cole’s Christmas Puddings.  For the first time there will be an engraving service offered by Chimo Holdings Silversmith. Entertainment will be provided by the Westminster School Choir and a Sextet Jazz Band.
Pop-up shops
Due to popular demand we will be hosting pop-up shops across the Estate in the month of December.
• Thursday December 8: Tothill Street café
• Tuesday December 13: Portcullis House, by the Despatch café
• Monday December 19: 7 Millbank reception area

The Retail Team look forward to welcoming you to our events and hope you have a truly enjoyable shopping experience!
Further information
For more information contact Sheila Mitchell by email (mitchells@parliament.uk) or on x3812.

Have you been to look at the House of Commons Library Blog – ‘Second Reading‘ recently?

It’s been updated with lots of useful information and statistics on economy and business, social policy, Parliament and elections, world affairs, science and Brexit, with links to Library Briefing Papers.

You can also sign up to the email alert service, so that you are notified when any new articles are published.