Parliament of the United Kingdom

Joined the Commonwealth: 28 April 1949

CPA Branch Formed: 1 January 1911

Unicameral/Bicameral: Bicameral – House of Commons (650), House of Lords (784)

Parliament/Legislature website: UK Parliament and CPA UK Branch website

Standing Orders: House of Commons, House of Lords

Parliamentary Committees:

Number of Departmental/Ministry Oversight Committees: 20 departmental Select Committees, 7 internal select committees and 8 general committees. Further information can be found here.

Number of Joint Committees (if bicameral): 5: The Joint Committee on Consolidation Bills, the Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and the Joint Committee on Tax Law.

Names of House Management (such as Privileges or Procedure) Committees: 20, Administration and Works Committee (House of Lords), Administration Committee (House of Commons), Administration Estimate Audit, Finance and Services Committee, House Committee, House of Lords Audit Committee, Information Committee (House of Lords), Leader's Group on Members Leaving the House, Leader's Group on Working Practices, Lords' Conduct (Sub-Committee), Members' Allowances Committee, Members Estimate Audit, Members Estimate Committee, Privileges and Conduct (Committee for), Procedure Committee (House of Commons), Procedure Committee (House of Lords), Refreshment Committee, Speaker's Committee for IPSA, Standards and Privileges Committee, Works of Art

Recent articles in The Parliamentarian:

• The Parliamentarian 2026 Issue Two - 'Global Parliamentary Menopause Network - article about her work with the APPG on Menopause and her vision to create a Global Network' by Hon. Carolyn Harris, MP
• The Parliamentarian 2026 Issue One - ‘The Commonwealth can be a democratic buffer against rising authoritarianism’ by Hon. Kate Osamor, MP, CPA UK Chairperson
• The Parliamentarian 2025 Issue Two - Overcoming Barriers in Politics - Q&A and Podcast - Dame Emily Thornberry, MP, UK MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
• The Parliamentarian 2025 Issue One - Women Speakers: Leading Roles - An article on the three Deputy Speakers in the UK Parliament by Natasa Pantelic
• The Parliamentarian 2025 Issue One - A Security Perspective on Artificial Intelligence in our Information Landscape - following CPA UK AI Workshop - by Hon. Dawn Butler, MP
• The Parliamentarian 2024 Issue Four - An article around the importance of legislation around deepfakes/nudify apps by Baroness Charlotte Owen
• The Parliamentarian 2024 Issue Three - Looking ahead to 2024 CHOGM - 'What is the role of the ‘modern’ Commonwealth in sustainable development and how can it achieve the greatest impact?' by Lord Collins of Highbury, UK Commonwealth Minister
• The Parliamentarian 2024 Issue Two - Behind the scenes of providing Technical Expertise to a Commonwealth Parliament: The Gambia by Michael Torrence, Clerk, UK House of Lords
• The Parliamentarian 2024 Issue One - Why a principled approach to AI matters' - AI, Disinformation & Parliament Conference - opening address by Rt Hon. Chloe Smith, MP, former Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Four - Women’s representation remains inadequate across the Commonwealth – more action is needed for change by Natasa Pantelic 
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Four - How does the separation of powers impact the functioning of democracy in the Commonwealth? by Dr Philip Loft, Senior Library Clerk in the House of Commons Library, UK Parliament
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three - View from the CPA Chairperson - 10 years of the Commonwealth Charter by Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP, CPA Chairperson
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three - Mindfulness for politicians in the UK - on the work of the APPG on Mindfulness by Jessica Morden MP and Tom Loughton MP
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three - The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold by Lord Kamall, Co-Chair of the APPG on the Commonwealth
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Three - The Commonwealth Charter 10 years on: Values and Principles for Parliaments to Uphold by Lord Purvis of Tweed
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue Two - Hon. Rushanara Ali, MP 'Examining Gender-Based Violence and Trade' - following World Trade Congress on Gender at the WTO
• The Parliamentarian 2023 Issue One - Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons CSPOC presentation: Parliamentary Security and its impact on democracy
• The Parliamentarian 2022 Issue Two - Hon. Nigel Huddleston MP 'Looking ahead to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with the UK Sports Minister'
• The Parliamentarian 2022 Issue Two - Rt Hon. Karen Bradley MP 'Human Trafficking and Sport: The Shadowy reality hidden in plain sight'
• The Parliamentarian 2022 Issue Two - Hon. Theo Clarke MP 'How the Commonwealth can lead by tackling deforestation to create a greener more prosperous future for our planet'
• The Parliamentarian 2022 Issue One - Rt Hon. Karen Bradley MP 'Delivering democracy: Lessons learned in legislating in the UK Parliament through the COVID-19 pandemic'
• The Parliamentarian 2022 Issue One - Khadijah Khatun (Commonwealth Youth Voices - BIM Region) 'Inclusive Parliaments for Inclusive Societies' 
• The Parliamentarian 2021 Issue Four - Baroness Kishwer Falkner, Chair of the Commonwealth Forum of National Human Rights Institutions 'The work that National Human Rights Institutions from across the Commonwealth have been undertaking to uphold the human rights of disabled people during the pandemic'
• The Parliamentarian 2021 Issue Four - Dr Lisa Cameron, MP - Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Disability 'Parliaments must prioritise accessibility for Persons with Disabilities'  
• The Parliamentarian 2021 Issue Three - Caroline Lucas MP, Chair of UK Parliament All-Party Parliamentary Climate Change Group 'How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected climate change policies/legislation and what role do Parliamentarians have in planning for a ‘green recovery'?'
• The Parliamentarian 2021 Issue Three - Rt Hon. Lord Reed, President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom 'The UK Supreme Court: What is its role, and what is its relationship with Parliament?' 
• The Parliamentarian 2021 Issue Two - Rt Hon. Maria Miller, MP 'Valuing women in public life is a sure way to a more equal society. Protecting them online is the first step.'