The House of Commons Enquiry Service, formerly known as the House of Commons Information Office, is a section within the
Department of Information Services of the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
. The chief role of the office is to provide the public with information regarding the work, history and membership of the
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England.
The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 me ...
.
History
The Office was set up in 1978 by Commons Librarian
David Menhennet David Menhennet Order of the Bath, CB (4 December 1928 – 5 February 2016) was a British librarian. As librarian at the House of Commons Library from 1976 to 1991, he oversaw a period of modernisation and other improvements to the library, transfor ...
,
following a recommendation by the Services Committee in their report ''Services for the Public'' (July 1977). The Committee stated that there was "a need for the House to ensure that the public is well informed about its work," and that a "small information office be created within the library...dealing with enquiries from the public."
The Office was established on 1 June 1978 and was originally known as The Public Information Office. It evolved into a bigger section in order to cope with the volume of calls it received. By 1982 the Office was responding to more than 50,000 enquiries annually. This figure rose to 69,000 in 1985 and was up to 95,000 in 1990. It was also one of the first sections to pioneer the use of computers and electronic publication in the House of Commons with the use of ''Viewdata''.
In 2015, the House of Commons Information Office became the House of Commons Enquiry Service.
Role of the Commons Enquiry Service
The Service's original aims have changed little in its 30-year history and is still charged with "Promoting public knowledge and understanding of the work and role of Parliament." The Enquiry Service answers questions from the public on all aspects of the work, history and membership of the House of Commons. Its means of disseminating information have changed somewhat over time and now puts a greater emphasis on online resources such as the Parliament website and social media.
External links
Parliament websiteHouse of Commons Enquiry ServiceHouse of Lords Information Office
References
{{reflist
*“Eighth Report from the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) – Services for the Public” HMSO, 20 July 1977
*“The House of Commons Library: A History”, by David Menhennet David Menhennet Order of the Bath, CB (4 December 1928 – 5 February 2016) was a British librarian. As librarian at the House of Commons Library from 1976 to 1991, he oversaw a period of modernisation and other improvements to the library, transfor ...
, 2nd Edition 2000
*“Thirty-first report of the House of Commons Commission, Financial Year 2008/09” HC 912, The Stationery Office
House of Commons of the United Kingdom
1978 establishments in the United Kingdom