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What your MP can do for you

Parliamentary questions

• MPs can submit questions to ministers of specific departments in the Commons. They can request information that you need for your campaigning.
• You can publicise the answers in the media as part of your campaign.

Letters to ministers

• If you choose to write to a minister, then you will probably only receive a reply from a junior civil servant. If your MP writes to the minister, he or she should receive an individual reply.
• Write to your MP and ask them to bring the issue to the attention of the relevant minister. Your MP can forward your letter with a covering note.

Arrange a meeting with a minister

• An MP can ask for a meeting with a minister to discuss an issue of concern to them. Your MP might meet the minister alone, or ask the minister to meet him or her and representatives of your group.

Early Day Motions

• An Early Day Motion (EDM) is a type of MP’s petition, which asks for an issue to be treated at the earliest possible moment. Each EDM has up to six sponsors. Every time a new MP adds their name to a motion it is published in the daily Order Papers of the House of Commons.
• EDMs are rarely discussed. Their main use is for creating publicity, in local papers for example. MPs with a government responsibility will not sign EDMs.

Private Members Bills

• At the start of each new session of Parliament, there is a ballot amongst MPs to have the opportunity to introduce a Private Members Bill. Those chosen will be allotted time in the Commons to do so. Usually, only the top six MPs have a real chance to see their Bill through the legislative process.
• There is a limited time available for Private Members Bills and they can be ‘talked out’ by other MPs who oppose the bill. The government may decide not to oppose a Private Members Bill, or to allow parliamentary time for it, if it supports the bill.
• Even if the bill runs out of parliamentary time, it can be a very good way to raise the profile of an issue, and put pressure on the government.

Ten Minute Rule Bills

• MPs are allowed to introduce a Ten Minute Rule Bill on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. These are when an MP speaks for ten minutes on why a certain Bill is needed. These rarely get anywhere but they offer good opportunities for publicity.

Adjournment debates

• These occur in the Commons at the end of every day. The speaker chooses the subjects for debate and the MP is allowed to speak for 15 minutes. These debates often occur late at night, so national media does not always pick them up. Local papers could follow them up. The debates will appear in the weekly Hansard. For more information click on Parliament link.

MPs outside Parliament

• Remember that there are also many things that your MP can do for your group, outside Parliament. For example, they could open an event you have organised, speak at a public meeting or add their name to a petition. They may agree to lend their name as a supporter of a particular campaign run by your group.

Contacts

House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Tel 020 3219 3000
Parliament link

National Assembly of Wales
Cardiff CF99 1NA
Tel 01222 825111
www.wales.gov.uk

Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh EH99 1SP
Tel 0131 348 5000
www.Scottish.parliament.uk

Information supplied by The Fawcett Society. www.gn.apc.org/fawcett

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