Policy Connect

According to their own account:

Policy Connect is a not for profit organisation which bridges Parliament and industry to promote effective policy in five key areas: Skills, Environment, Health, Design & Sustainability. Established in 1995, Policy Connect has developed a niche position within the policy-making process, working across the political spectrum with parliamentarians and decision-makers.

This and their activities suggest that Policy Connect is a lobbying outfit which helps clients to get close to decision makers.

Policy Connect deals with All-Party Parliamentary Groups by bringing their cause to the attention of MP's and lobbying to have the groups concerns raised in Parliament. All Party Groups are an amalgamation of MPs from across the political spectrum uniting over a particular subject. These groups in theory have no official political power over legislation, but are extremely influential in their given topic.

One of the All Party Groups that Policy Connect deals with is the Associate Parliamentary Health Group. This group is comprised of both private institutions, MPs, professors and other individuals with connections to the health sector. The group aims to inform poilcy makers with up to date information about the health sector through publications and various events.

History

Policy Connect was co-founded by Barry Sheerman MP, a Labour politician for Huddersfield. Since it's establishment, Policy Connect has worked with parliamentarians and decision makers to ensure that positive relationships between key sectors and parliament are maintained and that the economy remains competitive yet sustainable. Policy Connect has done this through the production of research and policy reports, sharing latest policy with all stakeholders and by running events which allow greater communication between different sectors, experts and stakeholders.

Affiliations

Policy Connect are involved with a number of different groups that fall under their five key topic remit of Skills, Environment, Health, Design and Sustainability.

Skills

Policy Connect is associated with The Skills Commission, which is a select group of key individuals in the skills sector which acts as a steering body to the National Skills Forum and the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group (APSG). They oversee and give direction to the work of the National Skills Forum and APSG, bringing "fresh thinking to the skills debate and campaigning on major skills issues in Parliament and beyond." The Skills Commission is co-chaired by Policy Connect founder Barry Sheerman MP and Dame Ruth Silver who is the Principle of Lewisham College. Policy Connect provides administrative support to the Skills Commission to help fund meetings; provide staff who act as clerks to the group; project and events management; share costs of telephone, IT, web and email hosting; provide financial services and provide office space external to Palace of Westminster.

Environment

For their key topic of the Environment, Policy Connect deals with the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group, which aims to "develop a deeper understanding between government, parliamentarians, business leaders and the waste sector in the sustainable management of waste" and the Strategic Waste Forum, who run a number of select member only events. Policy Connect provides services to the Sustainable Resource Group as the group’s secretariat which includes staff who act as clerks to the group, office space, telephone, IT and secretarial services.

Policy Connect Manager Philip Armstrong is also paid member of the Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group.

Health

Under their Health umbrella, Policy Connect support the Associate Parliamentary Health Group (APHG). The APHG is a forum which is dedicated to the sharing of impartial and high quality information as well as the stimulation of discussion on health issues that are dealt with by local and national UK Parliament. "The Group enables parliamentarians, policy makers, healthcare professionals and the health industry to promote and discuss the national health agenda, bringing them together in a forum that encourages constructive and mutually beneficial dialogue". Policy Connect has several ties with the Associate Parliamentary Health Group . Founder of Policy Connect, Barry Sheerman MP, is one of the 20 members of the All Party Group for the APHG and according to the Register of All Party Groups, Policy Connect serves as the ASHG's secreteriat, which "includes staff acting as clerks to the group, telephone, IT, web and e-mail hosting, accounts administration and office space". Another link between the two organisations is Sally Percy who is a Group Manager for Policy Connect and also a paid member of the APHG

The other group that Policy Connect deals with under their Health banner is the Chronic Pain Policy Coalition (CPPC). The CPPC provides a forum for patients, professionals and parliamentarians who believe in raising the profile of chronic pain as a pressing health and social issue amongst policymakers. The CPPC seeks to develop policies that will enable patients and their families to better manage their pain. Policy Connect provides this group with administrative support which takes shape in the form of staff who act as clerks to the group and by funding office space; funding meetings, telephone, IT and email and web hosting.

Design

Under their design remit, Policy Connect works with the Associate Parliamentary Design and Innovation Group, which exists to generate an exchange of knowledge and understanding between Parliament and the design industry about the role of design and innovation in improving competitiveness and quality of life. Policy Connect Policy Connect provides services as the group's secretariat which consists of staff acting as clerks to the group, funding telephone, IT, web and email hosting, accounts administration and office space). This was funded by funded by £10,000 from the Design Council and £10,000 from the Design Business Association. Policy Connect Manager Jocelyn Bailey and Policy Connect Events Manager Daniel Golding are also on the payroll of the Associate Parliamentary Design and Innovation Group.

Sustainability

Regarding sustainability, Policy Connect is linked with the Westminster Sustainable Design Forum (WSBF), Carbon Connect and the Mars & Pluto Financial Forum. The Westminster Sustainable Business Forum says it aims

to stimulate discussion and understanding amongst parliamentarians, business leaders and other stakeholders about issues relating to sustainable business. In doing so, the WSBF aims to ensure a platform for dialogue to discuss best practice in the UK. The aim of the forum is to demonstrate that to be sustainable is to be competitive.

Carbon Connect is a coalition of Parliamentarians and industry leaders committed to advancing the low carbon agenda. It was launched in June 2009, by Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

The Mars & Pluto Financial Forum says it was

established to foster a constructive and lasting dialogue between the financial services sector, policy-makers and Parliament on issues crucial to the financial services sector. Politically neutral, the Forum provides an invaluable platform to inform debate between industry and policy leaders. Our vision is a sustainable future for the financial sector built through informed, high-level debate. It provides a unique opportunity for industry leaders, policy-makers and legislators to engage at the centre of debate surrounding the future of the financial services sector in the UK.

People

Policy Connect is formed by a 9 member board, as well as 15 other team members, all with a range of knowledge and experience in the private and public sector.

Board Members

As of February 2010:

• John Cox
• Duncan Eaton
• Jacqui Henderson CBE
• Peter Jones OBE
• Phil Kirby
• Clare Morley
• Les Pyle
• Lynva Russell (Chief Executive)
• Barry Sheerman MP (Co-founder and Chairman)

Team Members

As at February 2010:

• Lynva Russell - Chief Executive, Policy Connect
• Nicki Williams - Office Manager, Policy Connect
• Daniel Golding - Communications Manager
• Natasha Adade - Events and Admin, Co-ordinator Policy Connect
• James Epps - Skills Manager
• Christopher Hall - Researcher & Project Co-ordinator in May 2009
• Liane Cresswell - Researcher & Project Co-ordinator
• Philip Armstrong - Project Co-ordinator, Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group
• Hayley Thomas - Project Co-ordinator, Skills team
• Sally Percy - Manager, Associate Parliamentary Health Group
• Jocelyn Bailey - Manager, Design & Innovation
• Vihelm Oberg - Head of Sustainability
• Leo Trinick - Project Manager, Westminster Sustainable Business Forum
• Kate Munro - Project Manager, Carbon Connect & Strategic Waste Forum
• Sarah Griffin - Manager, Chronic Pain Policy Coalition & All-Party Parliamentary Group on Chronic Pain

Lobbying groups

Policy Connect provides the secretariat for a number of Parliamentary lobby and policy discussion groups:

• Associate Parliamentary Group for Design and Innovation
• Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group
• Chronic Pain Policy Coalition.
• Associate Parliamentary Health Group (APHG)
• The Skills Commission, a select group of key individuals in the skills sector which acts as a steering body to the National Skills Forum and the Associate Parliamentary Skills Group
• Strategic Waste Forum
• Westminster Sustainable Business Forum

Contact Details

POLICY CONNECT LIMITED

CAN Mezzanine

32-36 Loman Street

Southwark

London

SE1 0EH

Company No. 03117836