Ways to engage with Parliament
There are a variety of ways researchers can engage with Parliament.
Watch our video to hear from two specialist advisers about how they work with Parliament to share their expertise.
Being a specialist adviser at UK Parliament
Watch to find out what it's like to be a specialist adviser at UK Parliament

Give evidence
Select Committees
When the Commons and Lords Select Committees announce an inquiry, they invite the public – including academics – to submit written evidence: (in the Commons these are called 'terms of reference', whilst in the Lords a 'call for evidence' is published). The Committees then invite groups or individuals to give oral evidence.
- See a list of open calls to submit evidence to Select Committees
- Find out more about Select Committees
- Find out more about submitting evidence to a Select Committee
Public Bill Committees
After the second reading of a bill, it is often referred to a Public Bill Committee for further scrutiny. They may choose to receive written and oral evidence, including from academics.
- See a list of open calls to submit evidence to Public Bills Committees
- Find out more about Public Bills Committees
- Find out more about submitting evidence to a Public Bill Committee
All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)
APPGs carry out their own inquiries for which they sometimes use evidence.
- Get in touch with the APPGs relevant to your area of expertise
- Find out more about APPGs
Provide specialist advice
Select Committees
Select Committees may appoint specialist advisers for their inquiries and these are often academics.
Contribute to a briefing
Commons and Lords Libraries
Library staff may draw on academic research when drafting briefings and debate packs.
- Find out more about the House of Commons Library and the House of Lords Library
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)
When researching a POSTnote staff engage with academic literature and directly with academics.
- Find out about POST's current work programme
- Find out more about POST
- Suggest a POSTnote, by getting in contact with POST
- Sign up to POST's mailing list
Peer review
Commons and Lords Libraries
Library staff may seek academic researchers to peer review their briefings.
- Find out more about the House of Commons Library and the House of Lords Library
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)
All POST's briefings are reviewed by external experts, including contributors.
- Find out about POST's current and planned work programme.
- Find out more about POST
Share knowledge and research
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST)
POST holds events to bring MPs, Peers and parliamentary staff together with relevant experts, and invites proposals for POSTnote topics.
Commons and Lords Libraries
As well as when writing briefings, Library staff may consult academics when responding to an enquiry from a Member of Parliament.
- Find out more about the House of Commons Library and the House of Lords Library
All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs)
APPGs hold events where they invite speakers, including academic experts.
- Get in touch with the APPGs relevant to your area of expertise
- Find out more about APPGs
MPs, Peers or their researchers
Nearly all MPs and some Peers have staff working directly for them. Members use research to inform their scrutiny of the Government, for example through asking questions in the Chambers. MPs and Peers have summaries of their parliamentary activities, including their areas of interest.
Contribute to Devolved Administrations
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own legislative authorities, and each of these draw on academic research.
- Find out more about research in the Scottish Parliament, in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe)
- Find out more about the Research Service in the Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament
- Find out more about Northern Ireland Assembly Research and Information Service (RaISe)
Help Parliament find your research
These channels are not the only ways to share your research with Parliament.
Parliamentarians and their staff also discover research through the media, the Internet and third sector organisations as well as other routes.
Increasing your visibility through blogging, social media and engaging with the media will help Parliamentarians and their staff to discover your research.