Parliamentary Security: New CPA handbook provides guidance to Parliaments

This CPA Introductory Guide is intended as a resource to guide best-practice approaches around parliamentary security and identify actions that can be taken to minimise the risk to Parliaments.

Parliamentary buildings are often seen as the symbolic heart of democracy. Places where elected representatives come together to make laws and shape policy. It is therefore no surprise that such vital institutions can be viewed as tempting targets for attack.

Parliamentarians are also the subject of increasing violence and harm which manifests itself both online and in-person. Across the world, governance institutions, political groups and individual Members of Parliament are under constant threat, whether that be cyber, physical or technical in nature.

With these risks in mind, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has developed, for the first time, a valuable and timely resource. The Parliamentary Security: An Introductory Guide is intended as a resource to guide best-practice approaches around parliamentary security. Our motivation is to aid Parliaments to meet the highest standards in parliamentary management and governance.

Introducing the Guide, the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg, said:

“The CPA’s Parliamentary Security: An Introductory Guide is designed to provide a strategic-level overview and identify key considerations and actions that can be taken to minimise the risk to Parliaments and peripheral entities.

I offer my appreciation to all the Parliaments and their security experts who offered valuable insight and guidance towards the development of this publication. It once again highlights the shared importance of this issue and the collaborative ethos at the heart of the CPA and the Commonwealth.”

The Foreword to the CPA Guide was written by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP, who wrote:

“We are confronted by an ever-evolving set of threat actors: terrorists, extremists, criminals and state actors, all using increasingly sophisticated methods to try and defeat our defences. The challenge can feel overwhelming, particularly when you have, like us, suffered a terrorist attack or if one of your friends and colleagues has been assassinated. This is why it is essential that we work together, and share our knowledge, experiences and best practice.”

The new CPA Parliamentary Security: An Introductory Guide is available to download on the CPA website. For any further enquiries regarding the publication, please contact hq.sec@cpahq.org. 

CPA BLOG: Sword lengths and Surveillance – Tackling Fisticuffs in Parliament

This blog article examines the need for comprehensive policies on Parliamentary security, assessing security risks facing Parliamentarians and examining the different tools that can be employed to mitigate these risks. It also examines the development of the new CPA handbook, ‘Parliamentary Security: An Introductory Guide’. 

Read the blog ->