Fellowship FAQs
The IPT has organised more than 500 Fellowships since it was founded in 1977, and the hundreds of Fellows currently in Parliament include current and former Ministers, Select-Committee chairs, privy councillors and senior parliamentary figures. The IPT is a non-partisan and non-lobbying organisation. All Fellowships follow a strict code of conduct set out in our guidelines and each programme is bespoke to the learning objectives of each parliamentarian.
FAQs
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The Baroness Harris
of Richmond DL
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"It is crucial for MPs to have direct experience and knowledge of the business world in order that informed decisions can be made, especially during financially challenging times. It is also vitally important that the business world understands how Parliament works and how policy might be better formulated."
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Fellowships are at the core of the IPT’s mission to "promote mutual understanding between Parliament and the worlds of Business, industry and commerce". The Fellowship gives MPs, MEPs, Peers and senior parliamentary officers first-hand experience of the challenges facing business by placing them in the heart of the organisation.
By taking part in Fellowships, parliamentarians gain an insight into the impact on business of government policy and legislation. The IPT believes that a more business-aware Parliament is a better Parliament and that there is no substitute for practical experience.
Moreover, by bringing parliamentarians into their business, host organisations have an opportunity to engage with them in a meaningful and constructive dialogue in a non-partisan setting, and to learn about the political process from those intimately involved in it.
Parliamentarians benefit by gaining:
- A practical appreciation of an organisation’s operations, including its grassroots activities, senior management, employee relations and its relationship with investors.
- An understanding of the decision-making, planning, investment-appraisal and budgeting processes.
- An understanding of the impact on business performance of government policy and of British and European legislation.
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Every Fellowship is different, depending on the objectives of the participating parliamentarian and what the organisation(s) hosting them can offer.
Fellowships consist of 18 days of placements with one or several companies, and parliamentarians have an opportunity to learn about those organisation at every level, from the shop floor to the boardroom. As well as working with senior management and leadership teams, parliamentarians also have an opportunity to gain hands-on experience at an operational level. This means that a parliamentarian will not only sit in on high-level discussions and board meetings but that they will also do placements with specific divisions within the organisation. Thus a programme with a supermarket chain could include not only placements at its corporate HQ with senior executives, but also in-store, serving customers and seeing how stock-control works in a large retail outlet.
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Where does a Fellowship take place?
Fellowships usually focus on the host organisations operations in the UK, but may involve travel abroad if appropriate. Some Fellowships with multinational corporations that have many of their operations abroad (such as mining or energy companies) may involve a large amount of foreign travel so that the parliamentarian can gain first-hand experience of worldwide operations. Other programmes might involve a number of placements within an MP's own constituency. Yet the same educational, non-partisan and non-lobbying ethos applies to all Fellowships, regardless of where they take place.
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The Rt Hon David Cameron, Prime Minister
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"Since it was founded in 1977, the IPT has dedicated itself to building bridges between legislators and the business community. All parliamentarians need a good understanding of business, as it is the creators of wealth who produce the jobs and prosperity we need. The IPT Fellowship programme is a unique opportunity to acquire a greater understanding of commerce and industry through direct experience."
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Hosting an IPT Fellow is an excellent way to foster a deeper understanding of UK industry in Parliament. A more business informed Parliament is for the benefit of the UK economy, ensuring that legislation takes into account it's impact on British Businesses.
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We are happy to talk to any organisation about becoming involved in the work of the IPT. However, we cannot guarantee that any organisation will have the opportunity to host a Fellow and we always allocate parliamentarians to companies based on that individual’s specific objectives and interests.
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Upon completion of their Fellowship, parliamentarians become Fellows of the Industry and Parliament Trust and are formally presented with a certificate and a Fellowship Cartoon depicting them during their Fellowship.
Parliamentarians who are already Fellows are eligible to take part in a Postgraduate Fellowship.
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Applying to Take Part in a Fellowship
Parliamentarians - Apply to do a Fellowship
There is an application form that all parliamentarians must complete in order to participate in a Fellowship, but in the first instance you should contact the IPT Parliamentary Liaison Manager.
Companies - Want to Host a Fellow?
We are happy to talk to any organisation about becoming involved in the work of the IPT. However, we cannot guarantee that any organisation will have the opportunity to host a Fellow and we always allocate parliamentarians to companies based on that individual’s specific objectives and interests. Contact the IPT Parliamentary Liaison Manager for further information.