Our Parliamentary Information Office has three distinct functions:
To provide information on topical political, social and business issues to clients of the Parliamentary Yearbook and to members of the public
To carry out research into such aspects of public and business life that may be of interest to a wider audience for inclusion in reports and features within the Parliamentary Yearbook
To assess the value of the publication to the potential readership in specific market sectors and ensure that the publication reaches the best possible target audience
" .. for decades they (the publishers of the Parliamentary Yearbook) have been providing not only a unique and essential reference to all of us within Westminster but - more importantly - extending this information to everyone outside Parliament, from sixth formers to pensioners. In its scope, the Parliamentary Yearbook is unparalleled; in its detail, it is meticulous" Rt Hon Sir George Young, Leader of the House of Commons
"The Parliamentary Yearbook plays a key role in mapping out the new structures brought about by the Government's constitutional reform programme. I commend it to all those who work in Westminster and to those who have an interest in the workings of Parliament and Government" Rt Hon Tony Blair, Prime Minister 1997-2007
"This excellent reference work has gained in reputation, now serving as a daily guide for those who regularly conduct business within and around the precincts of the Palace of Westminster. This publication helps to guide Parliamentarians and Parliament workers through that maze. I recommend it to all parliamentary enthusiasts for the busy year that lies ahead" Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke QC MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
"The Parliamentary Diary provides an essential source of information about Parliament and, more than ever, it is important that Parliament communicates clearly with the public so that debates about Parliament are rooted in knowledge of its role and functions" Rt Hon Baroness Hayman of Dartmouth Park, Lord Speaker
"This is an important year for Parliament. I'd like to congratulate the publishers of the Parliamentary Yearbook for providing a useful tool in holding us to account. The British people want a new politics. We must now deliver it." Rt Hon Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister
The following notes are provided to assist contributors to provide articles and editorial matter that is compatible with the concept and nature of the publication, will be useful to the reader and encourage feed- back to the contributor.
TheParliamentaryYearbook has been produced for almost 40 years and serves as an essential reference work for the Members and the staff of both Houses of Parliament, for all those who do business with the Palace of Westminster and for a wider audience in both public and private sectors.
It is a book of two halves, one half carrying purely factual information about Parliament and the other structured around a series of features covering topical and, in many cases, contentious issues of the day. The features are based on a mixture of fact, opinion and speculation but are essentially non-political.
Each feature is headed by a key Government, Parliamentary or public sector figure who tends (though not invariably) to put the "party" line. Other contributions are sought from relevant persons within the business, social and public arenas, those who are likely to have a valid contribution to make on a given topic and whose opinions will be valued in a debate.
So whilst editorial contributions must, of necessity, have a commercial value for the contributor, it is unwise to restrict a contribution to a corporate "puff". It is important to give the reader, who is sufficiently sophisticated to recognise an "advertorial", valid cause to "read on".
The following notes are for guidance only:-
Try to concentrate on topical subjects but bear in mind that the book has a 1 year shelf life
Do not offer solutions without outlining the problem
Discuss the problem in "market" or broad terms
The audience is a powerful one and it is appropriate to use the editorial space for (non-political) lobbying
Use a powerful headline, descriptive of the content
Break the editorial, where possible, with sub heads
Where practical back expressed opinion with documented fact
Provide a clear author's by-line with job title, company name and contact details
Additional assistance can be given by our in-house editorial staff. Do not hesitate to call if we can help but do bear in mind that our editorial staff are not experts in your field.
Please submit the article in final form without any changes track marks or speed-text. When submitted, our Sub Editor will check the editorial and in some cases suggest changes or improvements. In the interests of accuracy we shall provide a proof of the edited version. It is therefore important that you provide a contact name together with contact e-mail address and fax number.
