Ways to engage with 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.

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
• Propose a POSTnote
• Find out more about POST

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 programmes.
• 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.

• Find out about POST's events
• Propose a POSTnote

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.

• Contact an MP
• Contact a Peer
• Find out about MPs' interests
• Find out about Peers' interests

• 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 National Assembly for Wales
• 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.