1. Public Bill Seminar
Gavin Berman
House of Commons Library Research Service
12 July 2013

2. • What does the House of Commons Library
do?
• How do we know what’s coming up?
• The hallmarks of our research
• What do we publish throughout the legislative
process?
• How can you access this information?
• Commenting on our work

3. Misconceptions

4. What does the House of Commons Library do?
• Around 60 specialist researchers
• Provides confidential enquiry service
• Proactively publishes range of briefings

5. How do we know what’s coming up?
• Queen’s Speech
• White and Green Papers
• Government commitment to pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS)
• Weekly Business Statement
• UK needs to implement European legislation/react to legal
decisions
• On-going contact with civil servants and policy and Bill teams
• General awareness of policy area, contact with
lobbyists, constituents, journal reports

6. The hallmarks of our research
• Expert
• Impartial
• Balanced
• Wide range of sources

7. What do we publish throughout the legislative
process?
• Let’s take the example of the Anti-social
Behaviour, Crime and Policing Bill

16. How can you access this information?
Research Papers and Standard Notes are publically available
• The Library’s pages (RPs and SNs)-
– http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/
• Linked to from the ‘Bill pages’ (RPs and some SNs)-
– http://services.parliament.uk/bills/
• Follow us on Twitter - @commonslibrary

21. Commenting on our work
• Comments can be sent to
papers@parliament.uk
HCinfo@parliament.uk
• Any questions?