These opportunities have been compiled by UK Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU).

Take a look at the KEU’s webhub of information and resources for researchers. 

These opportunities and resources have been sent to members of the KEU’s informal network for knowledge mobilisers, for circulation to the research community. Find out more about the network.

Jump to:

Select committees currently accepting written evidence (compiled 23 October 2024)

Please click the title of any inquiry listed below to be taken to a summary of that inquiry and the full call for evidence. Remember that you don’t have to answer every question posed in each call for evidence.

New calls for evidence launched since 14 October 2024:

All inquiries currently accepting written evidence:

Why should I engage? 
Submitting evidence to a select committee can lead to further engagement, such as an invitation to give oral evidence. Your submission will be published on the Committee webpage. Your insights may inform the Committee’s conclusions or the recommendations it makes to the Government. Find out more about why to engage with Parliament. You can also read more on engagement for impact.

More information
Explore all select committee inquiries currently open for submissions of written evidence. 

Resources
Find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page. Watch our 30 minute online training session “How to work with select committees”

Last call: share your research and expertise to inform a POSTnote

POSTnotes are short, peer-reviewed evidence briefings on emerging areas of research produced by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). POSTnotes are widely read by Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff.

POST welcomes contact from researchers with relevant expertise or evidence on the POSTnote topics below.  

POSTnotes accepting contributions:

How can I contribute?
If you are interested in contributing to an upcoming POSTnote, email the relevant contact listed above to introduce yourself and your research:

  • state which POSTnote you are responding to
  • briefly outline your area of expertise and the research that’s relevant to the POSTnote
  • you may also mention skills, experience and knowledge if relevant
  • provide a link to your online profile
  • provide open access links to your most relevant published papers and blogs 

A few paragraphs are all that are needed. The POST colleague will be in touch if they need further information.

Why should I engage?
POSTnotes are used by Members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and UK Parliament staff to navigate complex research. Contributing to a POSTnote is a good way of feeding your expertise into the UK Parliament as part of a trusted, impartial publication.

All contributors are acknowledged when the POSTnote is published. On publication, you and your organisation’s communications team will be notified to publicise the POSTnote and your contribution. Therefore your contribution can help raise your profile and promote your research. 

More information
Find out more about contributing to a POSTnote as an expert. For queries about POST or POSTnotes contact POST.

Midlands Innovation Fellowship 2024

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology is launching two new fellowships. The fellowships are funded by Midlands Innovation and the scheme is open to PhD students studying a subject related to biology, life sciences and social sciences within certain institutions. Applicants must be registered, or have recently completed their PhD, at one of the following universities:

  • Aston University  
  • University of Birmingham 
  • Cranfield University 
  • University of Keele 
  • University of Leicester 
  • Loughborough University 
  • University of Warwick 

The two successful applicants will be based in UK Parliament for 13 weeks from April 2025, supporting its use of research evidence in scrutiny and decision making. This will typically involve producing a POSTnote policy briefing which will be published on the UK Parliament website. Fellows can delve into novel and exciting areas of research, develop a unique understanding of how research informs policy in the UK Parliament, and forge relationships with key stakeholders.
Hybrid, remote working, and part-time options are available.
The successful fellows will be awarded a stipend of £7,922.50 (or a stipend-matched payment for clinical PhD fellows if higher).

To find out more details and how to apply, please click here.

We will hold an online information session about the fellowships on 11 Nov 3-4pm. Please email postfellowships@parliament.uk if you would like to attend.

The deadline for applications is 27 November 2024, 23:55.
Interviews will be held on 15 and 16 January 2025.

Why should I engage?
Fellowships at parliament offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to view the epicentre of policy-making from the inside. By the end of their time within their parliamentary host team fellows learn how to write for policy with balance and impartiality, how select committees are structured and run inquiries, and how research and evidence is utilised in parliament. They also develop a unique understanding of Westminster and forge important relationships with key stakeholders, while often delving into a novel and exciting topic of research or a hot policy topic. Find out more about what a POST fellowship is like and the opportunities it can lead to.

More information
Find out more about POST fellowships.
Watch an interview with a previous POST fellow to learn about her experience.

An opportunity with our friends in the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) is seeking to award a contract for comparative research relating to sanctions on elected members.

The SPCB is looking for desk-based research to provide information on practice and procedure in a range of other legislatures on sanctions on elected members. This research will inform the SPCB’s future consideration of this issue.

If you would like to obtain a ‘Quotation Pack’, which includes information on how to submit a quotation, please email academia@parliament.scot quoting Reference: 2024-25/01/SPCB.

The deadline for quotes is 23:59 on Sunday 17 November 2024.

Whitaker takes on Parliament: Inside the mind of a Member of Parliament

What makes an MP tick?

With many new MPs since the 2024 election, it can be hard to know which MPs have policy interests in which issues. Although we currently only have limited hints from the business presented to the new Parliament, as time goes on, there are a number of places you can look to work out which issues an MP intends to focus on.

  • Adjournment debates. These are 30-minute debates taking place at the end of the sitting day in the Commons. MPs can apply to hold one of these on any subject for which the government is responsible. Forthcoming debates are listed under future business on the Order Paper.
  • Ten-minute rule bills offer backbenchers the opportunity to propose a piece of legislation. These bills are presented by MPs, normally after question time on a Tuesday and Wednesday. MPs have ten minutes to the make the case for a particular bill. This can be used by MPs to pursue a particular issue on which they would like to see change. As with adjournment debates, you can find the topics of these listed on the Order Paper.
  • Asking Parliamentary Questions in written or oral form. You can search for written questions to government departments here. Hansard (Parliament’s official record of proceedings) shows questions asked in departmental question time on the floor of the Commons.
  • Early Day Motions. A list of these motions, with their proposers and signatories can be found here. These motions are not normally voted on but they may indicate issues on which MPs are campaigning.
  • Debates on petitions in Westminster Hall (you can find these in the What’s On section of Parliament’s website).
  • Contributing to general debates on particular topics – you can search for these in Hansard.
  • Finally, another way to assess if MPs might be interested in certain research topics is by using the House of Commons Library’s Data Dashboard: Headline statistics for your constituency. Here you can find a range of data at the constituency level including age, country of birth, population by ethnic group, health conditions, child poverty and broadband coverage.

So what?
Finding out what issues MPs are interested in is a good way to learn about the policy landscape relating to your research area and can help you be responsive to new developments and opportunities. The best time to share your research or expertise with MPs is usually when it coincides with topical policy issues and upcoming parliamentary business.

More information 
Find out more about the Order Paper and where to access it.
With thanks to Professor Richard (Rick) Whittaker, University of Leicester, for this guest fact.