PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE

Public Affairs Campaigning

Richard Jarman, Head of Government & Community Relations

Wednesday 15 February 2012

What do I mean by public affairs campaigning?

Government: Westminster/ Whitehall; EU

Community: City & County Councils and the people

they represent

Why engage with national politicians? Can be a useful foundation for a press

release/ news story/ newsletter/ social media campaign

Stimulate debate/ inform public opinion Influence decisions/ affect change Impact agenda Donor relations: UK Government & EU

are major funders

University of Oxford: Research income breakdown 2009-10 (Total £486.4 million)

Research Councils

EU

UK government & health authorities

HEFCE block grant

UK industry & commerce

Charities

Other overseas

Other bodies

Campaigning in Westminster/ Whitehall

1. Contacting ministers and parliamentarians – and ongoing engagement

2. Events in Parliament3. Visits to Oxford4. Using parliamentary devices5. Party conferences

Make contact:

www.parliament.uk Call Parliament: 0207 219 3000 Consult Dods email or write House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA House of Lords, London SW1A 0PW Write to ministerial office

Events in Parliament

BASICS: Ask MP or peer to book room No room hire cost only cost of catering/ drinks/ AV/ staff Tuesdays and Wednesdays best days Can invite non-parliamentarians Theme:

– Show & tell– Launch research/ report– Celebrate anniversary

Format: – reception with speeches– theatre-style lecture or panel discussion– roundtable– sit-down dinner or lunch– briefing

Exhibition display

Visits

BASICS: See and do things they cannot do in Westminster/ Whitehall

office Give a speech or lecture Roundtable Take part in experiment/ demonstration …or invite somewhere other than Oxford

Must be concerned with their brief Need at least 3-6months advance notice Courteous to inform Vice-Chancellor’s Office & relevant Pro-

Vice-Chancellor(s)/ Divisional Head Advisable to inform University Marshal Security issues: confidentiality & press Possibility of cancellation/ curtailment - and at last minute! You have to lead and control internally

TABLE DEBATES & PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS: Ask a PQ of a minister – written or oral

Apply for an Adjournment Debate/ Westminster Hall debate

In the Lords: ask a starred question

Introduce a Private Member’s Bill/ Ten-Minute Rule Bill

EXAMPLE OF A PQ:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of research supported by the charity, Natural Justice, on the impact of diet with supplements containing omega 3 fish oils and whether there are any plans to incorporate these findings into guidelines for dietary requirements for the prison population?

EXAMPLE OF AN ADJOURNMENT DEBATE:

3 May 20111.30-2.00 - Medical studentsAndrew Smith, Labour MP for Oxford East

moved a debate on funding for medical students which received an answer from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, Anne Milton

TABLE OR SIGN AN EDM

DIABETES RESEARCH: That this House recognises that type 2 diabetes represents one of the most significant global challenges to health; notes that in the UK alone 2.6 million people have diabetes and that 95 per cent. of these have type 2 diabetes; congratulates Professor Mark McCarthy of the University of Oxford and his group of international scientists who have identified 12 new genes associated with type 2 diabetes; believes that a better understanding of type 2 diabetes will help to prevent people from developing the condition; and calls on the Government to encourage and support further research in this field.

Select Committees

Concentrate on Government departments

Run inquiries and reports You can respond to a call for evidence You can draw your campaign to their

attention Invite to Oxford

The Backbench Committee

Meets weekly on Tuesdays at 1pm to hear representations from MPs for debates in backbench time.

The committee can consider any subject for debate, including those raised in e-petitions or national campaigns but an MP must make the case for their consideration.

ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUPS:

Informal groups

By subject or country

DEPARTMENTAL GROUPS: By party, mirroring Government departments

ANNUAL PARTY CONFERENCES

Attend and raise your messages in meetings and debate

Host your own fringe meeting or with a partner (e.g. a think tank)

MPs/ ministers on your platform Listing in conference guide

Get one of your academics onto someone else’s fringe meeting

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Findings of 2009 community consultation

:

Those already engaged are broadly positive; those who are not tend to be negative

‘Disengaged’, ‘aloof’ and ‘closed’ Internal awareness of activity is low No overall coherence Business links ‘appear to work very well’ Local authority links ‘could be improved’ Engagement ‘high brow’ and ‘passive’ Impact of students seen negatively in specific

areas of the city

Communicate what you do to local councillors and the community

Take part in …

Promote the benefits Oxford students bring to the community …

Review of Engagement with Wider Society as part of University’s draft Strategic Plan 2012-2016