Administration CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Dr Emma Crewe, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)

Challenges Facing New MPs and Implications for Induction

Members of Parliament report difficulties in adjusting to their new roles (see Hansard Society reports and p4 for a summary of my research methods). The process of MPs developing expertise is complex and changing because:

1.MPs are diverse, especially in their level of education, age, gender, and past work experience, so different aspects of learning are easier for some than others. MPs who have already worked in Westminster in another capacity (eg, as a researcher for an MP) have an advantage but will have seen the work from a different perspective.

The skills required to be a good backbench MP (or PPS) are varied: public speaking (chamber, committee, TV, radio, huge audiences, smaller groups); chairing and questioning; debating and negotiating; drafting and amending text; counselling, social work and advocacy; remembering briefings, speeches, rules, people etc.; maintaining good relationships with whips, local party, officials, constituency groups, other MPs; managing staff and the House of Commons administration; marketing, campaigning and canvassing; assess security risks; setting up and maintaining information systems (database/filing/IT); writing blogs, tweets, articles, books, policy papers etc.; policy development; to name a few in no particular order. But not all MPs undertake all these activities and some do still others (eg, frontbenchers whipping or working in government). Despite (or perhaps because of) this range some MPs have talked about a deskilling that can take place as a Member.

Members interests vary greatly and change over time, with some more interested in committee work while others focus more on legislation, policy issues, party politics or constituents’ concerns at different times in their career.

Induction, training and continuing professional development (CDP) provision need to take account of the very different needs, skills, interests and priorities of MPs over their whole career. The content, form and timing need to be flexible and varied. This might include events (including debates) but also mentoring, peer group learning, mentoring, virtual learning, videos, and teaching.

2.Any politician has to give the impression of confidence, as their work is about winning support from various audiences, but some feel insecure, lonely or uncertain. It can be difficult to be seen attending induction or training courses as MPs are expected to be proficient in all things at all times, which may partly account for low attendance at induction sessions in the past.

MPs do not share good practice as much as they might partly due to their highly competitive environment and also because there is a pressure to behave as if they are already expert. Most rely on guidance from Commons’ officials, some seek advice from those in other parties, while others rely on neighbouring MPs from the same party. On the other hand, learning about some aspects of all the roles (in Westminster and in constituencies) can only be done within political parties.

Consider avoiding words like “training” and “induction”, if likely to conjure up ideas of learners be lectured at by experts. Name the sessions according to content and make it plain why it will be invaluable. Encourage more discursive and varied sessions—both in party and cross-party (see suggestions below).

3.Media scrutiny and expectations increase by the day. MPs have to spend a huge amount of time on communication and publicity (in the broadest sense). Women can sometimes face particularly abusive or trivialising scrutiny (especially from certain journalists, bloggers and internet “trolls”).

Consider a session on dealing with the media led by MPs, probably in parties and/or by gender, led by MPs with outside experts invited to contribute.

4.The pressure on MPs’ time is considerable and growing. Constituency work is becoming far more demanding. This is the immediate and urgent concern for brand new MPs. New MPs have to deal with a backlog of constituency correspondence before they have even had time to set up offices.

MPs are under intense pressure to win and maintain support, including with their electors, within their constituency as well as in Westminster. Many MPs report that for some of them it is extremely difficult to prioritise, turn groups away or assess their own effectiveness and impact. The way they delegate work to staff varies considerably.

Early advice about setting up a constituency office is vital especially when the seat switches political party. Consider also a highly discursive session on time management, prioritising and measuring effectiveness led by MPs with outside experts invited to contribute.

5.MPs’ staff in Westminster share knowledge and advice but staff in constituency offices have fewer opportunities to do so. The latter can feel isolated and under-appreciated.

All staff depend on their MP to value, invest and plan staff training and continuing professional development but some neglect this role. This is part of a broader need for more guidance for MPs on management. Although the HR advice service in the House of Commons is highly rated, poor managers do not always recognise their management failings. This is not just important for running effective offices, and ensuring good management practice for the benefit MPs’ staff, but is a reputational risk for parliament if not addressed.

Induction, support and training in both constituencies and in Westminster should be as much (or more) for MPs’ staff as MPs themselves. Strongly encourage management guidance and training for new MPs and provide more support to MPs’ staff, including their organisations (MAPSA and UNITE).

Suggestions for Induction 2015 and beyond

The world of induction and learning is a fast changing one. Experts have realised that conventional didactic training events can often be dull, abstract and too generalised (the 2010 Commons sessions were none of these things, according to MPs; they were much appreciated). The result can be a disconnect between the training and what you need to know and learn at a given time. Passively receiving information is not usually effective as a teaching/learning method although lectures can be useful in combination with other methods that respond to diversity of needs as well as different types of learning.

Different types of learning in the work of MPs include:

1.Rules, procedures and conventions—easier than other types of knowledge to learn from books, web, apps, videos, Commons officials when the information is needed and less useful to learn/discuss in groups because they are less contestable. Flexible timing is important.

2.Processes and management—scrutinising a draft bill or setting up and running a constituency office are examples of this type of learning. Some early induction into the key roles would lend itself well to induction, but it also means learning on the job for which on-going advice, mentoring and peer learning are useful. Sharing and discussing experiences with other staff/MPs may be helpful.

3.Knowledge acquisition—knowledge related to a particular government department, select committee or region of the UK, are examples of this type of learning. This happens mainly by learning on the job, but sharing and discussing experiences with other MPs, academics and others may be useful.

4.Expertise and skills development—whether becoming a good manager, performing in the chamber or being good at asking questions in committees, these mostly skills are learned through doing. Discussion with established MPs, and outsiders (actors, managers, speech therapists, memory experts, lawyers, media trainers), or even some role-play, could be useful early on.

MPs have a unique job and what they do is up to them and their electorates. Ideas about the various roles within the job of MP are inevitably political, so induction and CPD should not involve telling MPs what to do as if it was uncontested. The work of politicians cannot be detached from politics. For this reason it makes sense to take an even more discursive approach to induction and training than usual. Rather than listening to lectures, MP-led events and processes—where various conflicting viewpoints are put—would be livelier and better reflect the political nature of MPs’ work.

So if planning induction as part of a longer-term process of continuing professional development, in the first few weeks the House might consider producing a flexible programme of events, apps, videos and mentoring. The information about this programme could be handed to new MPs when they collect their pass. Some of these could be open to MPs’ staff:

Session in the Chamber, as in 2010, with the Clerk, the Serjeant-at-Arms, the Leader of the House, and the Shadow Leader. This was extremely popular with new MPs.

Other sessions with clerks and other officials so that MPs have an early opportunity to develop relationships with those working in the Commons.

Apps and videos about rules, procedures, IT and where to go for clerkly or other advice.

A directory explaining where/who to go to for advice about different aspects of the work.

Suggesting that the whips establish a mentoring system taking account of the party and type of constituency.

Suggesting that the whips establish a peer group learning process taking account of the party and type of constituency. Groups of 8–12 MPs or MPs staff could meet regularly to exchange good practice and ideas about how to be effective with a professional facilitator. At the most intensive end, it could even be done as a doctorate in management, eg, at the University of Hertfordshire, http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/DManMA-by-Research_details.cfm).

A half day workshop on public speaking with former MPs, established MPs, actors (Kenneth Branagh?), and top after-dinner speech-makers.

A workshop on performing in the chamber with small groups of new MPs (possibly within their own party only) with a clerk, speech therapist, voice coach and skilled MP giving them the opportunity to practise speeches or question and answer sessions.

A session on dealing with the media with MPs, former MPs, peers, bloggers, tweeters and journalists (eg, Caroline Quinn, Mark D’Arcy and Nick Robinson, BBC).

A session for new MPs and staff on navigating IPSA with both members of the Speaker’s Committee and IPSA.

A seminar on chairing and sitting on public bill and select committees with chairs, MP members, committee clerks, academics, lawyers and witness reflecting on what works and what wastes time.

A two-hour discussion with Chair and Members of the Backbench Business Committee, and some prominent backbenchers, on how to make the most of this committee.

A two-hour discussion about managing staff—strongly encouraged—led by an MP with substantial experience in this area and supported by external experts.

A two-hour discussion about how to set up a constituency office (data management, security, local media etc.) and how to prioritise when representing constituents within parties led by long-standing MPs.

It might be worth consulting existing MPs with a range of options to see what they think would be most popular and useful. It is also advisable to get feedback on events, IT and processes to see what works for which MPs/MPs’ staff.

The Research

These observations are based on findings produced by a Leverhulme Trust-funded research project carried out by Emma Crewe. The aim of this project is to explore the nature of MPs’ work, how it is changing and how and why it varies between MPs. To get beneath the surface appearances of social life, anthropologists observe, converse, interpret and make sense of multiple views. Between October 2011 to March 2013 I conducted 79 formal interviews (including 40 MPs, 11 MPs’ staff and 11 officials); carrying out informal interviews and observing the chamber, committees and other meetings; followed press/TV/web stories and social media (especially twitter); visited seven constituencies (during which I talked to more staff as well as MPs and constituents); tracked pre-legislative and legislative scrutiny of one bill; and followed the Eastleigh by-election with MPs and activists from the three major parties. In addition to interview notes, I have recorded the observations in a log of 318 pages. I also interviewed 18 peers who were former MPs during an earlier study (1998–2002).

Dr Emma Crewe
Leverhulme Research Fellow

4 April 2013