Dimension: 4.1.1 Responding to public concerns

This dimension is about the ways in which parliament and MPs listen to and respond to concerns raised by members of the public. The public – whether individually or as groups of citizens – should be able to bring matters of concern to parliament and feel confident that their input will be given appropriate consideration. Being responsive to public concerns is a key element of the representative function.

It is difficult to establish a clear distinction between when a member of the public raises an issue with their MP, and when a member of public raises an issue directly with parliament as an institution or with a parliamentary committee. Part of the role of MPs is to make the connection between issues that are brought directly to them and the parliamentary processes where they can be addressed.

It is important that parliament has a range of mechanisms that the public can use to raise issues of concern. One of the most widely used mechanisms is petitions. Many parliaments have processes for submitting and signing petitions, and committees that receive them and determine what action should be taken. Increasingly, parliament’s rules of procedure require certain actions, such as a debate to be held, once the petition has been signed by a certain number of people.

Parliamentary staff Parliamentary staff Employees working for the parliamentary administration who provide professional and impartial support and services to enable MPs to fulfil their legislative responsibilities. In this publication, the term “parliamentary staff” does not include political staff who provide support to individual MPs or parliamentary (party) groups. It should be noted that parliamentary staff are categorized differently across the globe, and the term may refer to individuals who work under either partisan or non-partisan capacities in parliament. In this publication, the term refers to individuals who are non-partisan. Typically, parliamentary staff are separate and independent from the executive's civil service. play a key role in collecting, organizing and analysing questions and requests received from the public, and in communicating this information to MPs in appropriate formats. MPs themselves have to determine what action should be taken. MPs may, for example, assist citizens in bringing their concern to the relevant part of the administration, or raise the issue in parliament themselves. Members of the public who bring issues to parliament should receive feedback on how that input has been handled. This feedback loop helps to build trust in parliament.

While fully respecting laws concerning data privacy, parliament should consider gathering data on the profile of who is bringing issues to the attention of parliament. Such data can help parliament to understand, for example, whether men and women are using these mechanisms equally, or whether some groups in society are not being heard adequately, and to take appropriate action to make mechanisms available to the whole of society.

See also:

• Dimension 1.9.1: Interaction with the electorate 
• Indicator 6.1: Parliamentary environment for public participation