Members of Parliament

This page highlights some of the current parliamentary material available on Members of Parliament. This includes select committee reports, briefing papers on current legislation and other subjects produced by the parliamentary research services, and the latest Early Day Motions put down by MPs.

Standard Notes

DateDescription
01.03.2013MPs' Pension Scheme - 2012 onwards
This note provides an overview of MPs' pensions and current proposals for reform. Further detail on the background can be found in SN 01844 MPs Pension Scheme - background
01.03.2013PIL: Living Former MPs
A list of all known living former Members as at 28/02/2013.
14.01.2013PIL: Maiden Speeches since 1979
This Parliamentary Information List lists all maiden speeches made since 1979
10.01.2013Pensions of ministers and senior office holders
This note looks at the pension arrangements for ministers and senior office holders, such as the Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and Speaker of the House of Commons.
10.01.2013MPs Pension Scheme - background
This note provides background on the pension scheme for MPs - the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund - and its development to 2011. The current debate on reform of the scheme is covered in SN 6283 MPs pensions - 2012 onwards

Research Papers

DateDescription
10.09.2012Mental Health (Discrimination) (No 2) Bill
This briefing has been prepared for the Second Reading of the Mental Health (Discrimination) (No 2) Bill on 14 September 2012. The Bill is sponsored by Gavin Barwell MP, who was fourth in the 2012-13 ballot for Private Members' Bills.
07.08.2012UK Election Statistics: 1918-2012
This paper presents an overview of results from UK elections since 1918, including elections to the House of Commons, the European Parliament, devolved bodies and local government.
22.05.2012Members' pay and expenses - current rates and a review of developments since 2009
This Research Paper reviews changes in Members' pay and allowances/expenses since 2009.
28.04.2010Members 1979-2010
This paper provides a complete list of all Members who have served in the House of Commons from the General Election of 1979 to the dissolution of Parliament on 12 April 2010. It also provides basic biographical and parliamentary data. The paper is based on data collated from published sources by the House of Commons Library and Information Office. It replaces an earlier version, Research Paper 09/31.
09.03.2010Northern Ireland Assembly Members Bill [HL] [Bill 75 of 2009-10]
The Bill would allow the Northern Ireland Assembly to delegate the authority for determining Assembly Members' salaries and allowances either to an independent body or to the Northern Ireland Assembly Commission. The Bill specifies that an independent body would have to be established by Act of the Assembly, whereas authority could be delegated to the Commission by resolution of the Assembly. The Bill includes provisions to prevent Assembly Members who also sit in the House of Commons or the European Parliament from drawing their Assembly salaries. They would still be entitled to full allowances in connection with each mandate they hold.

Select Committee Reports

DateDescription
14.09.2011Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
Public Accounts Committee report [Commons]
12.07.2011Leaks relating to the case of Mr David Laws.
Standards and Privileges Select Committee report [Commons]
12.07.2011John Healey.
Standards and Privileges Select Committee report [Commons]
14.06.2011Former Members sentences to imprisonment.
Standards and Privileges Select Committee report [Commons]
10.05.2011David Laws.
Standards and Privileges Select Committee report [Commons]

Early Day Motions

DateDescription
05.12.2011PROPOSED COMMONS TWITTER HASHTAG
That this House notes that it is important to keep up with modern communication techniques; further notes that hon. Members are now allowed to tweet from the Chamber; believes that ...
22.11.2011MINISTERIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
That this House believes Ministers who cannot control their Departments should not run Government Departments; further believes that Ministers have ultimate responsibility for their ...
14.11.2011ACTIONS OF BASILDON COUNCIL IN RESPECT OF RICHARD HOWITT MEP
That this House notes with concern the forcible removal of East of England MEP, Richard Howitt, from the official media area of Dale Farm by officials of Basildon Council during the ...
01.11.2011CONTACT BETWEEN HON. MEMBERS AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS
That this House recognises the importance of events such as Parliament Week; acknowledges movesamong some hon. Members to engage which members of the public via social networking sites; ...
20.10.2011PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
That this House notes the Procedure Committee's recommendations to limit hon. Membersto e-table only five written Parliamentary Questions a day; and believes that this is an affront ...

Lords Library Notes

DateDescription
21.07.2011House of Lords Reform: Chronology 1900-2010
This Library Note provides a chronology of key developments in the reform of the House of Lords since 1900.
20.08.2010Maiden Speeches LLN 2010/019
This House of Lords Library Note provides the text of selected recent maiden speeches to illustrate the range of styles and subjects covered by new Members in their first contribution in the Chamber. It also includes an index of Members' maiden speeches in the Lords since 2006.
28.06.2010House of Lords reform 1997-2010: a chronology. LLN 2010/015
House of Lords reform 1997-2010: a chronology This House of Lords Library Note sets out in summary form the principal developments in House of Lords reform under the Labour Government of 1997-2010
25.06.2010Possible implications of House of Lords reform LLN 2010/014
Possible Implications of House of Lords Reform: The purpose of this House of Lords Library Note is to consider the possible consequences of House of Lords reform. An implicit assumption in the Note is that future proposals to reform the Lords will be based on a fully or mainly elected Second Chamber. The major focus of the Note concerns the impact of such reform upon the House itself, its relationship with the House of Commons and Government, but also with the electorate and society more generally.
23.10.2009The Weatherill Amendment: Elected Hereditary Peers (updated October 2009)
The House of Lords Bill 1998-99 sought to abolish the right of all hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords, and represented the most significant attempt to reform the House for some years. During the Lords consideration of the Bill, Lord Weatherill moved an amendment to allow 92 hereditary peers to remain as Members of the House. Thus the amendment, which was accepted in both Houses and became part of the House of Lords Act 1999, has become known as the 'Weatherill amendment'. This Library Note provides a history of the amendment and outlines developments since 1999.
24.07.2008Peerage creations 1958-2008. LLN 2008/019
This Note presents detailed information on all peerage creations since the first list of life peers was published on 24th July 1958. It updates earlier Notes to the situation at 24th July 2008.

Glossary

  • Research Papers (RP) - briefings produced by the House of Commons Library on Bills, topical issues and regular statistics
  • Standard Notes (SN) - shorter, topical briefings from the Commons Library
  • Early Day Motions (EDMs) - formal motions submitted by MPs in the House of Commons
  • POST Notes - short briefing notes produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
  • Lords Library Notes (LLN) - an occasional series of papers compiled by the House of Lords Library