| Level | File |
| Ref No | BPS/001/11/04/01/01 |
| Title | BPS Parliamentary Group Papers 1986-1987 |
| Date | 11 June 1985 - 15 December 1987 |
| Extent | 3 folders |
| Physical Description | 3 folders. Some documents very creased |
| Description | Papers and correspondence of the British Psychological Society Parliamentary Group (founded in 1986).
16 April 1986 Parliamentary Working Group - notes
19 November 1986 - Parliamentary Group agenda (and draft), minutes and papers including proposal to formally establish the group discussed at Standing Communications Committee; minutes of meeting 26 February 1986; members of the Committee, report on the British Association for the Advancement of Science/Society of Chemical Industry's day conference on 'Science, Technology and Industrial Security'; press release from Department of Health and Social Security [DHSS] on funding to combat child sexual abuse, British Psychological Society comments on 'Child Abuse - Working Together', article 'The Reliability of Children's Testimony; report on lobbying training for Group members; representation on Parliamentary committees; report of meeting between Bruce Napier, Stephen Flett DCP [Division of Clinical Psychology] Parliamentary Liaison Officer and Michael Health and Frank Dobson, and notes on DCP Liaison, Labour opposition spokespeople on Health;
20 January 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes and papers including suggestions for topics for future briefings; circular letter to subsystems for views on proposed topic priorities; notes on 'How to Run A Parliamentary Briefings'; relations with BASW (British Association of Social Workers), The Children's Society; Swinton Circle; notes from Robert Audley on his role as BPS representative on the Parliamentary Scientific Committee; DHSS press release on Violence to Staff;, proposals for a statement on drug abuse; draft submission to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology on the importance of psychology and psychological research funding; British Psychological Society response to Home Office DHSS consultation on 'Offenders Suffering from Psychopathic Disorder'; response from Donald Dear MP on Teachers' (Colleges of Education) Scotland Amendment Regulations and Parliamentary interests.
10 March 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes, papers, correspondence including proposals from Parliamentary consultants, possible parliamentary contacts, report on visit to Parliamentary Officer of the BASW [British Association of Social Workers]; notes on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee luncheon; Standing Committee on Handicap, topics for briefings; violence to public sector staff; guidelines for wiring parliamentary briefing papers; psychology as a special subject in teacher training; funding of training of educational psychologists; notes on meeting with ALSISS; invitations to MPs to attend Presidential reception at BPS Annual Conference; Professional Associations' Parliamentary Support Group Cash-Care Debate briefing paper, report on the meeting of the Parliamentary Mental Health Group;
28 April 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes, papers and correspondence including nominations and relationships with All Parliamentary groups, BPS publications sent to House of Commons library, topics for briefings; report on Annual Luncheons of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee; possible briefing on Clinical Psychology Services for Offending and Abnormal Behaviours; proposed statement on capital punishment; ; report on Psychological Aspects of Alcohol Briefing; cost of advertising in The House directory; freedom of information, Access to Personal Files bills; psychology and teacher training; child witnesses briefing; Lawyers Support Group [recovering from alcoholism]; representation on Working Party to Review and Advise the Police on Changes in the Investigation of Child Abuse; meeting with Charles Barker Whitney and Company;
5 June 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes, papers and correspondence including seats on the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee; children as witnesses; proposed symposium at the Annual Conference; drafts for drinking and driving briefing; developing Society policy in response to access to personal files legislation; costs of advertising in House Magazine; proposed briefing to Parliamentary and Scientific Committee on disaster management, Handicap Committee; Working Party to Review and Advise the Police on Changes in the Investigation of Child Abuse and video technology; draft statement on considerations and recommendations for interviewing child witnesses; Parliamentary Group relations with Society Boards, invitro-fertilisation.
15 July 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes, papers and correspondence including report on meeting with Children's Society parliamentary officer, disaster management briefing proposal; relations with PAB [Professional Affairs Board]; proposal for symposium at the BPS Annual Conference, Age Concern; Ministerial appointments; Family Courts campaign; update on plans for a briefing paper on Drinking and Driving.
3 September 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, papers and correspondence [meeting not held although papers circulated] including Royal Society sponsorship of scientists to work in Parliament; report of meeting with PSC Parliamentary and Science Committee, Age Concern report 'The Law and Vulnerable Elderly People'; examples of Early Day Motions, ABRC strategy for science.
15 December 1987 - Parliamentary Group agenda, minutes and correspondence including Royal Society sponsorship of scientists to work in Parliament; taking stock - review of the Group, access to personal files/medical records private members bill; review of briefing paper progress; draft briefing paper Violence to DHSS Staff; draft briefing paper on AIDS Public Attitude Change; Age Concern; Data Protection (Subject Access Modification); capital punishment; including training for teaching psychology GCSE, GCE and A level examinations and Annual Conference symposium. |
| Format | File |
| Notes | The History of Psychology Centre is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all our users. Be aware that our catalogue contains historic terminology relating to mental health which could be considered offensive. The terminology exists within the original record and has been retained to inform users on viewpoints at the time. It in no way reflects the attitudes of the cataloguers or the British Psychological Society. |
| Stephen White Director of Information's files |
| Language | English |
| Related Material | See report of the BPS/001/11/01/05/01 and BPS/001/11/05/02 BPS Communications Committee 1984-1986 for reports prior to this Group's formal inception.
BPS/001/4/01/02/08 BPS Professional Affairs Board PAB Papers 1987 includes relationship with representative on the All Party Parliamentary Mental Health Group
BPS/001/11/04/03/04 BPS Consultations 1980-1989
BPS/001/11/04/03/04/45 House of Lords Committee on Science and Technology Enquiry into Funding of Scientific Research 1985-1987
BPS/001/11/04/03/04/29 Psychological Aspects of Alcohol Briefing 11 November 1986
BPS/001/11/04/03/04/31 Guidance on Appropriate Qualifications for Staff Intending to Teach Psychology at GCE level
BPS/001/11/04/02/04/33 Capital Punishment 1987
BPS/001/11/04/02/04/37 Violence to Public Sector Staff Briefing
BPS/001/11/04/02/04/42 AIDS Briefing 1987-1992 |
| RelatedRecord | BPS/001/11/01/05/01 |
| BPS/001/11/01/05/02 |
| BPS/001/11/04/01/02 |
| BPS/001/11/04/03/04 |
| BPS/001/4/01/02/08 |
| BPS/001/11/04/03/04/45 |
| BPS/001/11/04/02/04/29 |
| BPS/001/11/04/02/04/31 |
| BPS/001/11/04/02/04/33 |
| BPS/001/11/04/02/04/37 |
| BPS/001/11/04/02/04/42 |
| AccessConditions | Registered Users by Appointment Only. |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| Location | 13: BPS History of Psychology Centre, London |
| Term | Mental disability |
| Legal medicine |
| Alcohol abuse |
| Cultural crises |
| Public Relations |
| Parliamentary Lobbying |
| Data Protection |
| Access to Information |
| Communication Control |
| HIV Infections |
| AIDS |
| Disasters |
| Old age |
| Elderly |
| Forensic medicine |
| Intellectual disability |
| AdminHistory | Responses to Government policies papers and commissions were traditionally the responsibility of British Psychological Society Boards, Divisions, specifically created working parties or Subsystems including the Division of Clinical Psychology who had a Parliamentary Liaison Officer rather being a central activity.
In 1985 after the creation of the coordinating Standing Committee on Communications and the appointment of a Director of Information (Stephen White) - the Society started a more proactive approach to parliamentary and policy affairs. A parliamentary briefing was held March 1985 (as part of the launch of book) on The Psychological Aspects of Nuclear War. The Standing Committee then discussed topics for future briefings and a 'Parliamentary Team' or 'Group' was created comprising Guy Fielding, James Thompson and Stephen White. It was formally constituted as the Parliamentary Group with its first meeting on 19 November 1986 under the Chairmanship of Guy Fielding, reporting to the Standing Committee on Communications. A week earlier a briefing had been held on Psychological Aspects of Alcohol.
Lea Pearson succeeded Guy Fielding as Chair December 1988 and was herself succeeded by John Sheppard in February 1990. He was the 'responsibility holder' for Parliamentary activities 1990-1996 reporting to Standing Committee on Communications and then to the Information Committee.
Keith Vaz and Keith Hampson were British Psychological Society sponsored MPs c. 1992-1997. A London based Parliamentary officer Ana Padilla was employed by the British Psychological Society between September 2002 and December 2010.
In July 2017 an All Party Parliamentary Group for Psychology AAPG met for the first time, chaired by Lisa Cameron, MP and clerked by the British Psychological Society. |
| Copyright | Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation. Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of the History of Psychology Centre and Archives and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material |
| Rules | Description compiled in line with the following: ISAD (G) General International Standard Archival Description MAD3 Third Edition 2000 |
| ArchNote | Compiled by Claire Jackson BPS Archivist History of Psychology Centre. |