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Conferences of Parliamentary Speakers and Presidents

As part of the international parliamentary community the Speaker is invited to attend and speak at Conferences for Parliamentary Speakers and Presidents to talk about our parliamentary practice.  

World Conference of Speakers of Parliaments

Aims: To work within the national and international framework to strengthen the parliamentary dimension of international cooperation, support the United Nations, and enhance the democratic legitimacy of the decisions adopted in the global system

  • Membership: All the presiding officers of national parliaments worldwide
  • Frequency of meetings: Every five years
  • Place of meeting: New York (2000, 2005, 2015), Geneva (2010), virtual conference (2020)
  • Document languages: English
  • Conference languages: English

Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC)

Aims: To maintain, foster, and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Parliaments; promote knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms; and develop parliamentary institutions

  • Membership: Speakers and Presiding Officers of National Parliaments of all independent sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations.
  • Frequency of meetings: The Conference meets normally every two years
  • Place of meeting: Host country from the Commonwealth of Nations
  • Document languages: English
  • Conference languages: English

Find out more about the Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (external website).

Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers' Conference

Aims: To foster contacts, coordination and the exchange of experience among Speakers of the UK House of Commons and Overseas Territories; consider questions of interest and express non-party-political views on such issues; promotion of knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms and the development of parliamentary institutions.

  • Membership: Speaker of the UK House of Commons and the Speakers of the Overseas Territories legislative assemblies
  • Frequency of meetings: Annually
  • Conference language: English

2023

In 2023, the Conference was held in Anguilla hosted by Mrs Barbara Webster-Bourne, Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly.

Read the Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference 2023 Communiqué (pdf).

2022

The inaugural Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference was held in May 2022 in London. Read the communiqué from the 2022 Conference.

Speakers of the Isles Conference

Aims: To share knowledge and experience with colleagues across parliamentary networks and enhance working relationships

  • Membership: Speakers of the UK Parliament, Speakers of the Oireachtas, Speakers of the devolved assembles and parliaments of the United Kingdom, Speakers of the legislatures of the Crown Dependencies
  • Frequency of meetings: Annually

The inaugural Speakers of the Isles Conference was held in July 2023.

Find our more information about this year's Speakers of the Isles Conference (external website).

G7 Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Lower Houses Conference

Aims: To promote an exchange of experience, opinions, and information, primarily on parliamentary matters such as the role of parliaments and the organization of parliamentary functions in a rapidly changing world.

  • Membership: The presidents and speakers of the national parliaments, or their representatives, of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA. The President of the EU Parliament is also invited.
  • Frequency of meetings: Annually; always held after the G7 Summit
  • Place of meeting: Always held in the country hosting the G7 Summit
  • Conference languages: English, French, German, Italian, Japanese

2023

The 2023 Conference will be held in Japan.

2022

The 2022 Conference was held in Berlin, Germany. Due to the death of HM The Queen, Speaker Hoyle was unable to attend. Read the 2022 communiqué. (pdf)

Due to the invasion of Ukraine, the G7 Speakers also held a virtual conference in March 2022. Read the declaration from the virtual meeting. (pdf)

2021

In 2021, the G7 Speakers’ Conference was held in Chorley, Speaker’s Hoyle constituency. Read the 2021 communiqué. (pdf)

2020

In 2020, the USA hosted a virtual conference. Read the 2020 communiqué. (pdf)

European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments

Aims: To act as a forum for the exchange of opinions, information and experiences, as well as for the promotion of research activities and common action on topics related to the role of parliaments and the organization of parliamentary functions, also with respect to the forms and tools of interparliamentary cooperation

  • Membership: Presidents and speakers of the parliaments (for bicameral systems: Presidents of both chambers) of the 47 Council of Europe Member States and the three countries with observer status, i.e. Canada, Israel and Mexico the Presidents of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament
  • Frequency of meetings: The Conference meets normally every two years
  • Place of meeting: Alternates between Strasbourg and a capital of a Council of Europe Member State
  • Document languages: English and French
  • Conference languages: English, French, German, Italian, Russian

Find out more about the European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments (external website)

Enquiries

The secretariat for these conferences at the House of Commons is the Speaker’s Office. Any enquires should be directed to: hocspeakerexternal@parliament.uk