International inter-parliamentary assemblies: More than just ‘talking shops’?

Events / Webinars

More than just ‘talking shops’? The role of international inter-parliamentary assemblies

7 Feb 2023

Plenary sitting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on 21 November, 2022. ©NATO Parliamentary Assembly

The creation of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly in 2022 threw a fresh spotlight on the UK Parliament’s participation in such international inter-parliamentary bodies. What do they do? Do they add value? And what is the role at Westminster of the UK assembly Delegations? Watch leading Delegation Members discuss these questions and more.

[CLOSED] 7 February 2023 Webinar

Watch in full

Video recording of the webinar: More than just ‘talking shops’? The role of international inter-parliamentary assemblies. Recorded on 7 February 2023.

About this event

The creation of the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA) in 2022 saw the UK Parliament becoming a member of its first new international inter-parliamentary assembly for 30 years. This fresh spotlight showed that the UK Delegations to such bodies are among Parliament’s least visible aspects.

This free webinar brought together leading Members of UK Delegations to discuss what the Delegations do, how they work, and whether the arrangements at Westminster that surround them need reform.

Key questions

In November 2022, Politico’s influential ‘London Playbook’ newsletter sarcastically called the PPA “absolutely, definitely not a talking shop”.

Are international inter-parliamentary assemblies more than ‘talking shops’, and their meetings anything other than ‘foreign jollies’?
Do international inter-parliamentary bodies add value to international affairs, and, if so, what and how?

At Westminster, with arrangements around the Delegations’ appointment and operation uncodified, the creation of the Delegation to the PPA has been based largely on precedent.

What is the status of the international inter-parliamentary Delegations at Westminster? Who do they represent?
Where do the Delegations fit in the scrutiny of the UK Government’s actions in international organisations? How do – or should – they relate to Select Committees?
Do arrangements for the Delegations need reform? In particular, should the Delegations formally be appointed by Parliament rather than the Government, as suggested by the Commons’ Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) in 2016?

Speakers

Rt Hon Sir Oliver Heald KC MP / @OliverHealdUK Leader, UK Delegation to the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA)

Lord Peter Ricketts GCMG GCVO / @LordRickettsP Member, UK Delegation to the UK-EU Parliamentary Partnership Assembly (PPA); former UK Permanent Representative to NATO, Chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service, National Security Adviser, and HM Ambassador to France

Rt Hon Alec Shelbrooke MP / @AlecShelbrooke Leader, UK Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) Chair: Cristina Leston-Bandeira Professor of Politics, University of Leeds; Chair, International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN); Hansard Society member and past Co-Editor of the Hansard Society journal, Parliamentary Affairs; past Chair of the UK Study of Parliament Group (SPG)

Latest / Highlights

News / Parliament Matters Bulletin: What’s coming up in Parliament this week? 3-5 November 2025

The Defence Secretary and Chancellor face MPs questions, and David Lammy stands in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs. The Commons will debate the “Hillsborough Law”, as well as the Employment Rights and Public Authorities Bills. Peers will examine the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, Border Security Bill, and Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The Conservatives will choose Tuesday’s Opposition Day topic. Committees will hear from senior officials about Lord Mandelson’s appointment as US Ambassador, from George Osborne and Vince Cable on the Budget, from journalists on the Afghan data breach super-injunction case, and from former CIA and GCHQ directors John Brennan and Professor Sir David Omand about the UK–US relationship. The Lords assisted dying committee hears from the Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer.

News / Why did Nigel Farage's Ten Minute Rule Bill fail? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 112

Nigel Farage’s legislative bid to take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights failed but Labour’s hesitant response has raised questions about its strategy against Reform UK. We also discuss Lucy Powell’s election as Labour’s new deputy leader and what it means for the party’s budget battles ahead. Guest Sofia Collignon explores the growing abuse faced by MPs and candidates, and the need for tougher safeguards. Finally, a listener’s question prompts a discussion about the history and purpose of Westminster Hall, the House of Commons’ parallel debating chamber. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

News / Parliament vs. Prince Andrew - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 111

This week, we explore how far Parliament can go in holding members of the Royal Family to account, as pressure grows for MPs to scrutinise Prince Andrew’s finances and royal titles. We ask whether Nigel Farage should get a right of reply at Prime Minister’s Questions amid his growing prominence, and examine Labour’s reshuffle of select committee posts and calls for greater transparency in how they’re filled. Plus, a look back at the rebuilding of the House of Commons Chamber, 75 years after its postwar reopening. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

News / Parliament’s spying scandal: Why was the China case dropped? - Parliament Matters podcast, Episode 110

It’s been a tumultuous week in Westminster, with three ministerial statements on the China spying case and fresh questions about the collapse of charges against two alleged spies. We are joined by Cambridge public law expert Professor Mark Elliott to untangle the legal and political fallout, from espionage claims inside MPs’ offices to confusion over whether China was ever designated an “enemy state.” We also explore looming government challenges — the Budget, Afghan data leak, local election setbacks — and the membership of the new Select Committee to consider the assisted dying legislation in the House of Lords. Please help us by completing our Listener Survey. It will only take a few minutes.

Briefings / Assisted dying - The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Rolling news

Stay informed with updates and analysis on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill as it moves through Parliament. Learn about the debates, procedures, decisions, and key milestones shaping the assisted dying legislation.