Parliamentary Outreach publishes annual review
13 July 2009 (updated on 22 April 2010)
The service has published its first annual review, covering the work of the Outreach service in the 12 months since its formal introduction in July 2008.
The review includes a foreword by the Speaker of the House of Commons and an afterword by the Lord Speaker.
In his foreword, Mr Speaker says:
"Today, Parliament faces some difficult and challenging circumstances and we must, as an institution, be prepared to change the way in which we engage with the public, adopting a vigorous approach to communicating what we do and how we do it."
"Parliamentary Outreach will play a central role in effecting this change and it is good to know that it has already developed strong sustainable relationships with a variety of national organisations. Through them, it has demonstrated the work and processes of Parliament, reiterating its relevance to people’s everyday lives and highlighting how the public can get involved."
"I welcome this work and look forward to its continued growth and success."
In her afterword, the Lord Speaker says:
"Parliamentary Outreach plays a central role in helping improve the public’s understanding of Parliament."
"Parliament currently faces profound challenges in re-establishing public trust and confidence and it is therefore vital that we continue and expand our outreach work. More than ever, we need to communicate clearly with the public so that debates about Parliament are rooted in knowledge of its role and functions. Explaining Parliament’s work and highlighting its relevance to people’s lives has never been more important."
"I applaud the excellent work of the Parliamentary Outreach team and hope that it can continue to strengthen the critical connection between Parliament and the public."