These opportunities and resources have been compiled by UK Parliament’s Knowledge Exchange Unit (KEU) to help you understand how to engage with Parliament as a researcher.

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

Jump to:

Select committees currently accepting written evidence (compiled 25 February 2026)

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:

All other inquiries currently accepting written evidence:

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

What should I expect? 
All evidence will be read and taken into consideration, but you may not receive a direct response from us or the Committee. To stay informed, we encourage you to follow the progress on the respective committee / inquiry webpages. 

More information: all inquiries currently accepting evidence are found here 

Support resources: find guidance on submitting evidence to select committees on the KEU’s ‘how to guides’ page  

Calling experts on the G20 and its members

The International Affairs and National Security (IANS) Hub, a policy group within the UK House of Commons Administration, is forming a G20 discussion forum. It is seeking 8-10 experts on countries that are members of the G20, and on those countries’ approaches to foreign policy and multilateralism, to participate in this new initiative. 

The group will focus on the following G20 members: Argentina, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, and the African Union. Experts with broader expertise on G20 summitry are also welcome to express interest in joining. We welcome expressions of interest from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, including international relations, economics, law, development studies, area studies and geography. 

Participants will support parliamentary staff in developing knowledge and networks relevant to the G20, and to the UK’s engagement with the G20. This will involve participating in the Forum’s meetings which will take place every 6 to 8 weeks.

More information about activities and eligibility is available on the POST website.

We will hold a webinar on Wednesday 18 March 2026, from 10.00 to 10.30am. This will provide further information about the discussion forum and offer an opportunity to ask questions. Please register to attend by signing up here. The joining link will be circulated shortly before the webinar. 

To express interest in participating in the Forum, please fill out this MS form. The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday 25 March 2026, 5pm

Why should I engage? Participating in a discussion forum is a great way to share your expertise and research insights with Parliament. What is more, it’s a great way to making connections with parliamentary teams, which in turn can lead to additional opportunities for collaboration in the future.

What should I expect? All expressions of interest will be read and taken into consideration, but you may not receive a direct response. 

More information:  

More information about activities and eligibility is available on the POST website.

We will hold a webinar on Wednesday 18 March 2026, from 10.00 to 10.30am. This will provide further information about the discussion forum and offer an opportunity to ask questions. Please register to attend by signing up here. The joining link will be circulated shortly before the webinar. 

To express interest in participating in the Forum, please fill out this MS form. The deadline to submit an application is Wednesday 25 March 2026, 5pm

Find out more about why to engage with Parliament here. 

URGENT CALL for experts on parliamentary business, petitions and backbench business

A parliamentary select committee is seeking 20 experts to participate in round table discussions with MPs, and to support future engagement and consultation on the below and related topics. 

The committee is interested to hear from researchers with expertise or insight into matters relating to the Backbench Business Committee, the Petitions Committee, the role of backbench MPs, or the organisation of parliamentary business. It welcomes contributors from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives, including political or constitutional experts, those with historical views, international comparisons, and other relevant disciplines.

If you conduct research in any of these areas, or hold relevant expertise, please complete this form. The form asks for your contact details and a short statement introducing your expertise or research in this area. We encourage submissions from researchers at all career stages and from all types of institutions, including those who have not previously engaged with Parliament. 

There is a very short deadline for this opportunity.
Respond by: 8 March (midnight). 

Why should I engage? Making yourself known to committee and other parliamentary staff through this opportunity may lead to you being invited to take part in a round table with an MP. It can also lead to future opportunities to contribute your expertise and insights to Parliament, such as being called to give oral evidence, contributing to a briefing, acting as a specialist adviser or participating in a future roundtable or seminar. Parliament seeks to draw on the body of existing research to inform decisions so engaging is a way to demonstrate your research in practice and the real-world change it contributes to.

What should I expect? All respondents will be considered for the round table and future opportunities. Not all respondents will be selected for this opportunity, however, your details will be available to the committee for future engagement. Please be aware you may not receive a direct response until the committee invites you to engage.  

More information: Find out more about why to engage with Parliament here

Calling experts on facial recognition for age verification

The Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) aims to produce a short briefing for Parliament on the topic of facial recognition for age verification. We are looking for an external expert to work with POST staff to develop the briefing, which will be impartial, relevant and timely. The topic may cover the ethical implications of age verification, immigration enforcement, how effective the technology is, and its prevalence in the UK, among other relevant issues. It may also cover facial recognition for age verification following the recent Online Safety Act, or other legislation such as human rights law, and ask how well it works in determining the ages of children. The briefing will be up to 1500 words. 

If you think you could contribute to this briefing, please complete this Microsoft Form. The deadline for completing this form is Friday 20 March 2026 at 17:00.  

Why should I engage? Sharing your research findings through contributing to a co-authored briefing is a great route to impact. Parliament seeks to draw on a body of existing research to inform decisions, so it’s a way to demonstrate your research in practice and the real-world change it contributes to. Contributing to writing for parliamentary audiences, and making connections with parliamentary teams, can lead to additional opportunities for collaboration in the future. 

What should I expect? All submissions will be read and taken into consideration, but you may not receive a direct response. 

More information: If you think you could contribute to this briefing, please complete this Microsoft Form. The deadline for completing this form is Friday 20 March 2026 at 17:00.  

Find out more about why to engage with Parliament here. 

Bridging evidence and influence: A researcher in the House of Lords

This week we have an extra special feature from Professor Laura Crane, who is the Chair in Autism Studies at the University of Birmingham, where she is Director of the Autism Centre for Education and Research (ACER) and Director of Research for the School of Education.

In 2025 Professor Crane served as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords on the Autism Act 2009. In this article, you can read about how Professor Crane reflects on her time as a Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords.

This Q&A covers a broad range, including a helpful insight into the whole of Professor Crane’s time working within parliament, the day-to-day activities, the role she played within the committee and the colleagues she worked alongside and supported, as well her motivations for being a Specialist Advisor. Since leaving her position in parliament, Professor Crane is able to reflect on her highlights in parliament, any surprises, any advice for prospective academics interested in engaging with parliament and the subsequent impact of her work with parliament. 

We often advertise Specialist Advisor roles (amongst other opportunities too) in the round-up, so if this article has sparked an interest, keep an eye out! 

Why should I engage? This article gives you insight into the everyday life of what it’s like to be a Specialist Advisor to a House of Lords committee in the UK Parliament. You can hear first-hand from a researcher about their experience, and get the inside scoop on how a House of Lords committee works.

More information:  To read more about the House of Lords Autism Act 2009 committee read here: 

The Salisbury Convention

This is an understanding between the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It says that when a government has won an election and included a policy in its manifesto, the House of Lords shouldn’t block the bill that delivers that policy. Even if the government doesn’t have a majority in the Lords, the convention helps ensure its key election promises can still pass. 
The convention first took shape after the 1945 election, when the Labour government faced a Conservative-dominated House of Lords. At the time, the Marquess of Salisbury—leader of the Conservative peers—agreed that the Lords would not stand in the way of the newly elected government’s main manifesto commitments. 

So, what does this mean for you?  

1. Manifesto commitments often shape the early legislative agenda 
Because the Lords usually does not block bills promised in a winning party’s manifesto, these proposals may move more quickly through Parliament once introduced. 

What this means for researchers: 

  • early engagement with parliament is crucial.  
  • your evidence can encourage rigorous debate and inform legislation.

2. Researchers can influence how manifesto policies are implemented 
Even if the House of Lords doesn’t veto a bill, peers still scrutinise, amend, and improve legislation. 

Why this matters: 

  • Evidence from researchers can help peers strengthen a bill and flag potential implications.   
  • Academics can provide written or oral evidence to committees, brief MPs or peers, or support parliamentary libraries. 

More information: