Here you will find a collection of guides to good practice that will offer you advice in carrying out the main activities expected of you in your job. They are constantly being revised and updated so if you do print a guide out please remember to check back from time to time.
We also include links to resources that will be of use to staff. Some of these are on the Parliamentary Intranet and can only be accessed if you have an appropriate login.
Current Guides
Support in Your Job
- Help and Advice for Staff
- Office Managers’ Virtual Drop-in – every Wednesday
- Monthly phone-in Q&A session for all MPs’ staff
- Employment
- The Members’ HR Service
- Induction Sessions for MPs’ Staff
- Health & Wellbeing
- Wellness Working Group
- Working from Home
- Bullying and Harassment and Sexual Harassment support services
- Workplace Adjustments
- Staying sane over the summer recess
Guides to Parliament
- A Welcome from Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons
- Security at Westminster and in Constituency Offices
- Rules and courtesies
- How the place works – Parliamentary Procedure
- The Privy Council
- Business of the House and its Committees: a short guide
- Campaigning: Early Day Motions
- Campaigning: Parliamentary Questions (PQs)
- Campaigning: Petitions
- Register of Interests
- Rules for the use of stationery and postage-paid envelopes, and for the use of the Crowned Portcullis
- Complaints about an MP
- Online Parliamentary Archives
- Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster
- Tours of the Houses of Parliament
- How to organise a school visit to Westminster
- How to arrange Gallery Tickets
The Library
- Guides to Commons Library Services
- Ten Things the Library Can Do For You
- Commons Library Training
- Research Briefings, Standard Notes and Debate Packs
- Online resources from the Commons Library
- The Library Loans Service
- Library Talks
Your Office
- Setting Up the Office
- Everyday Tasks
- Stationery
- Insurance for MPs
- Data Protection
- Freedom of Information
Your MP
Researcher Extraordinaire
- Writing a speech
- How to compile a briefing for a roundtable or panel discussion
- Handling the Media
- Working with lobbyists
General Elections
Who’s Who
- List of current MPs elected to Parliament following the 2019 General Election
- List of Ministerial Responsibilities
- Parliamentary Digital Services (PDS)
- Whips and Their Work
- ‘Servants of the House’ – what the Clerks do
- Guide to All Party Parliamentary Groups
- Parliamentary Office of Science & Technology – POST notes
- Peers for the Planet
In the Constituency
Online Presence
- Working with Wikipedia
- Video Recording Meetings, Events and Lectures
- Introduction to political blogs and social media
Groups which staff can join
- Representation
- Workplace Equality Networks
- Other groups which staff can join at Westminster
- All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
- Christians in Parliament
- Commons and Lords Hockey
- Conservative 6-a-side Football
- Lords and Commons Tennis Club
- Parliament Choir
- Parliamentary Netball Group
- Parliamentary Running Club
- Westminster Gym
- Westminster Wanderers Football Club
- Women’s Parliamentary Cricket Team
Jobs
- Finding and Posting Jobs
- Frequently asked questions about job adverts
- Finding a job on w4mpjobs
- Advertising jobs with w4mp
- Other Places to Look for Jobs
- Members’ Staff Security Clearance and Pre-Employment Check Questionnaire
- Volunteering and writing opportunities
- Volunteers
- Example of Submitting Multiple Ads as One
W4MP Archive
W4MP has been in operation since 2000 and we have published hundred of guides in that time. Many of these have been superseded and removed from our main site, but they can be consulted on our archive site. These are for research purposes and should not be relied upon as a guide to current practice.
Alt.Guides
Our light-hearted alt.guides are also available for your delectation and delight
Other Online Resources
Many additional resources are available to MPs staff, including: