Background
The Public Bill Office (PBO), as part of the House of Lords Legislation Office, supports the House’s scrutiny of public bills (proposed laws), and is closely involved with much of the House’s work in the Chamber and Grand Committee. We are a friendly team based in the historic Palace of Westminster.
The House’s legislative scrutiny work depends on the timely production of accurate documents, including the bills that the House is considering and lists of amendments (proposed changes to those bills). The team is also responsible for the final text of the Acts (agreed laws) that Parliament passes.
The twelve staff of the PBO (including the Clerk of Legislation) work closely as a team. As part of the team, you will be closely involved with several main functions of the office, most notably the production of written briefs for Ministers, Members, the Lord Speaker and his deputies. You will also be closely involved in the checking and inputting of amendments put forward by Members. In addition you will be part of the office’s ‘front of house’ services dealing with incoming queries via email and phone, and in person when onsite.
This is a fascinating opportunity to learn first-hand about the legislative process and contribute at its exciting and fast-moving centre. The team works on all bills together, with exposure to a variety of policy areas and Members across the House. We are looking for an enthusiastic person to join the team, who will enjoy helping to support this important work. You will be trained to become a competent user of our amendment processing and document production software systems, though no prior experience of these systems or of legislation is needed. We work in close collaboration to make sure we get things right and you will be well supported, but your contribution will be impactful and you can make the role your own.