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<p>All Civil Servants have access to the central learning offer provided through Civil
Service Learning. There are one-day workshops on Understanding Parliament, which are
delivered at Foundation (introduction) and Practitioner (advanced) levels. Both of
these workshops cover Parliament’s scrutiny and legislative roles. Dedicated training
sessions covering specific topics are also available. These include Introduction to
Parliament, Select Committees, Debates and Voting, Pre and Post Legislative Scrutiny,
Parliamentary Questions, Delegated Legislation, and Primary Legislation. A half-day
workshop is available on producing effective explanatory memoranda to accompany secondary
legislation. The Cabinet Office’s Parliamentary Business and Legislation Team provide
training to Bill Teams. The Government Legal Department and Parliamentary Counsel
run a course on Dealing with Parliamentary Bills for Lawyers, which covers parliamentary
stages and handling. Stand-alone events are run, eg during Parliament Week. Bespoke
sessions for government departments are available on request.</p><p> </p><p>It is
well established that people need just-in-time training and resources to help them
while on the job, so Civil Service Learning provide on-line resources, such as weblinks,
guides and videos. There is an e-learning course on Understanding Parliament, and
access to two Massive Open On-Line Courses (on Understanding Parliament and Select
Committees) which have been produced in partnership between the House of Commons and
Future Learn, a digital education platform owned by the Open University.</p><p><em>
</em></p><p>Fast Stream Civil Servants receive a Parliament workshop during their
induction, covering the role of Parliament in scrutinising government policy. For
Policy Professionals, a Fast Stream Base Camp includes an optional workshop which
focuses on the legislative process in both houses, typical timetables and roles of
Ministers, Bill Teams and civil servants in delivering legislation.</p><p> </p><p>For
Senior Civil Servants, a tailored a one-day workshop, Leading in Parliament, is available,
which covers Parliament’s role, powers and relationship with government, the day-to
day work of MPs and Peers. A workshop delivered jointly between Civil Service Learning
and HM Treasury is provided for Accounting Officers. Civil Service Learning provides
a workshop specifically for Senior Responsible Officers with responsibility for secondary
legislation. Every department has an SCS Parliamentary Champion. There is a buddy
system in place between Parliamentary Champions and senior House staff.</p><p> </p><p>In
addition to the courses available on CSL, DWP holds regular training and awareness
sessions on secondary legislation and better regulation including the scrutiny and
legislative roles of the UK Parliament that are available to all civil servants involved
in policy development, as well as internally delivered workshops and tailored training
sessions to individuals and teams who are preparing to make legislation or those who
wish to learn more about Parliamentary processes, these are offered to members of
staff by the Department’s Parliamentary and Legislative Strategy teams. To support
this bespoke training sessions with representatives from the Parliamentary committee
secretariats including the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee and the Work and
Pensions Select Committee are arranged as needed. Officials from the Parliamentary
Business and Legislation Committee are also regularly invited to provide training
on devolution matters or the processes for taking primary legislation through Parliament
including the role of the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee.</p><p>
</p><p>As the Department for Work and Pensions is a significant delivery Department,
with the vast majority of staff in public facing roles, Parliamentary training is
largely concentrated on colleagues in central roles. It is typically provided on a
‘train the trainer’ basis, with the aim that attendees then disseminate their learning
among their colleagues. This training is provided on an ad hoc basis in response to
requests from teams, individuals or their line managers. As such, the number of events
and numbers attending are not recorded.</p>
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