Ruth Fox & Matt Korris r.fox@hansard.lse.ac.uk m.korris@hansard.lse.ac.uk A Fresh Start? The...

Ruth Fox & Matt Korris

r.fox@hansard.lse.ac.uk m.korris@hansard.lse.ac.uk

A Fresh Start? The Orientation and Induction of New MPs at Westminster

Following the Parliamentary Expenses Scandal

A Fresh Start At Westminster?

• Recovering from the expenses crisis• Expected large turnover of MPs• Role of parties and independent bodies

A Year in the Life

• 2005 study – critical of the induction provision

• 2010: 3 surveys, interviews / focus groups

• 3 comparative studies

– National Assembly for Wales

– Scottish Parliament

– Dail Eireann (in partnership with Dr Mary Murphy, University of Cork)

© UK Parliament

Information pack – New Members’ Guidebook

The 4 P’s: •Passes •Post •PC’s•Pay (IPSA)

Chamber Briefing

Orientation

Induction

• Flexible timing: rolling programme of briefings

• Multiple formats: on-line podcasts & downloads

• Road-tested • Presentation skills training • Piloted aspects of it on by-election winners • Opportunity for party’s to comment

BUT – just 19% of new MPs attended a session

Difficulty of getting it ‘just right’

• Balancing the ‘Must-Haves’ & ‘Business as Usual’

• Vary the delivery: more experiential, role-play & simulation & fewer ‘talking heads’

• Action oriented: link the national to the local

• Time management & ‘learning how to say ‘no’’

• Independent partners providing sessions – who and about what?

• Who is responsible for areas like ‘ethics’?

MPs in ‘learning’ mode?

• Lack of time / competing pressures

• Confidence or arrogance? High levels of perceived knowledge on arrival in Parliament

• Greatest sources of advice / influence are peer-group – current and former MPs

93%

41%

71%

49%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

House of Commons House of Lords Political arm of government (PM,Cabinet, committees)

Administrative arm ofgovernment (Civil service,

departments)

Preparing for officeHow much, if anything, do you feel you know about how each of the following work? (a great deal/a fair amount)

Sources of knowledge

Where did you acquire your knowledge of Parliament and government?

From my party 59%

Research in my own time 56%

Formal education 46%

Previous employment 41%

Sources of advice

Pre- Post-election

election

Current MPs 90% 98%

Former MPs 61% 49%

Party officials 48% 42%

Friends/family 27% 25%

Needs for future learning

• 64% - procedural issues

• 45% - how government works

• 45% - IPSA’s expenses system

• 41% - government finance

• 38% - time management

• 31% - managing staff

• 31% - data protection / freedom of information

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?

• Only half (49%) of the MPs in our study believe they should undertake some form of CPD

BUT

• Of those (56%) who had prior experience of CPD, 70% thought MPs should have undertake it

What Might Help In Future?

• Mentors – Greater use of peer-group: MPs / former MPs

• Engage class of 2010 to help plan for 2015

• More positive engagement by parties – importance of locating ‘critical actors’ well in advance of the election

For further information about theA Year in the Life study and our other related research, see:

www.hansardsociety.org.uk

Ruth Fox & Matt Korris

r.fox@hansard.lse.ac.uk m.korris@hansard.lse.ac.uk

A Fresh Start? The Orientation and Induction of New MPs at Westminster

Following the Parliamentary Expenses Scandal