Difference between revisions of "All-Party Parliamentary Group"

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'''All-party parliamentary groups''' within the British parliament are regarded as relatively informal groups compared with, for example, select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups is mainly comprised of backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members.
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[[All-Party Parliamentary Group]]s are informal, cross-party interest groups. They are not part of the official structure of the Houses of Parliament and are therefore not accorded any role or powers by it. Groups may or may not receive support from other organisations but if they do so and the benefit received by the group is below a certain financial value which is currently £1000.00 per calendar year, there is no requirement for the group to register it.
  
Groups are classified either as '''subject groups''' (relating to a particular topic eg forestry) or '''country groups''' (relating to a particular country or region). Most country groups are affiliated to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's United Kingdom Branch and/or to the Inter-Parliamentary Union's British Group.
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How groups keep their accounts is up to them, except that they must keep sufficient records to be able to meet the registration requirements detailed in the Guide to the Rules on All-Party Groups.<ref>[http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/PCFSGroupsRules.pdf House of Commons] House of Commons-register of All-Party Groups website, accessed 20 July 2009</ref>
  
==Resources ==
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Any member of either House may turn up and speak at any meeting of any group; anyone else may only attend if invited by the group.
  
*[[All Party Groups in the House of Commons: Subject Groups]]
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Groups have no official status in Parliament. Hence although some basic information about them is registered, they are under no lawful obligation to make their minutes or accounts publicly available.
*[[All Party Groups in the House of Commons: Country Groups]]
 
  
== External links ==
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According to the UK parliament's website:
*"[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm/cmparty/memi02.htm The Nature of All-Party Groups]," United Kingdom Parliament.
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:All Party Parliamentary Groups 'are regarded as relatively informal compared with other cross-party bodies such as select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups mainly comprises backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members.Groups are classified either as subject groups (relating to a particular topic eg. forestry) or country groups (relating to a particular country or region)'<ref>parliament.uk [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/register/memi02.htm#a1 all party groups] accessed 16/12/09</ref>.
*"[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmparty/051221/memi01.htm Register of All-Party Groups]", United Kingdom Parliament. (List dated 21 December 2005.)
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*Sam Coates, "[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,17129-1983322_2,00.html How business pays for a say in Parliament:] All-party groups accused of compromising independence; Lobbyists write controversial reports in the name of MPs", ''The Times'' (UK), January 13, 2006.
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Rules for all party groups can be found [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmallparty/memi01.htm here].
*Ravi Chandiramani, "[http://www.prweek.com/uk/news/article/575282/ Poll shows MPs at ease with influence of APGs]", ''PR Week"", August 3, 2006. (Sub req'd).
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[[Category:United Kingdom]]
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==Resources==
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*[[All-Party Parliamentary Groups in the House of Commons: Subject Groups]]
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*[[All-Party Parliamentary Groups in the House of Commons: Country Groups]]
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==Notes==
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<references/>
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[[Category:All-Party Parliamentary Group]]

Latest revision as of 16:32, 16 April 2010

All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal, cross-party interest groups. They are not part of the official structure of the Houses of Parliament and are therefore not accorded any role or powers by it. Groups may or may not receive support from other organisations but if they do so and the benefit received by the group is below a certain financial value which is currently £1000.00 per calendar year, there is no requirement for the group to register it.

How groups keep their accounts is up to them, except that they must keep sufficient records to be able to meet the registration requirements detailed in the Guide to the Rules on All-Party Groups.[1]

Any member of either House may turn up and speak at any meeting of any group; anyone else may only attend if invited by the group.

Groups have no official status in Parliament. Hence although some basic information about them is registered, they are under no lawful obligation to make their minutes or accounts publicly available.

According to the UK parliament's website:

All Party Parliamentary Groups 'are regarded as relatively informal compared with other cross-party bodies such as select committees of the House. The membership of all-party groups mainly comprises backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians. Groups flourish and wane according to the interests and enthusiasm of Members.Groups are classified either as subject groups (relating to a particular topic eg. forestry) or country groups (relating to a particular country or region)'[2].

Rules for all party groups can be found here.

Resources

Notes

  1. House of Commons House of Commons-register of All-Party Groups website, accessed 20 July 2009
  2. parliament.uk all party groups accessed 16/12/09