| AdminHistory | After the second World War it became evident that the Government was going to continue to employ psychologist who had been attached to the armed forces and civil service commission however there was a debate as to whether they would be treated as civil servants and on the same pay scales, The British Psychological Society wrote to the Lord President of Council in 1946 and 1947 without response but on 12 April 1948 a deputation (Professor Godfrey Thomson, Alec Rodger and Colonel Bernard Ungerson met Treasury representatives and subsequently wrote to Thompson [Deputy President of the British Psychological Society] confirming an agreement to set up a separate class for psychologists in the civil service [the letter is published in the Quarterly Bulletin of the British Psychological Society Vol 1 Number 2 October 1948 page 38-39];
In 1954 the AGM agreed that one of the roles of the Charter Committee was to 'confirm the prestige of the Society as a scientific organisation capable of giving a service to the communbity and as the responsible body in Brtiain concered with the standards and conduct of psychologists. With regard to the first of these aims, a number of projects were reviewed by the Charter Committtee and the problem of selection for secondary education was chosen as one upon which "an authoritative statement would be opportune" published by Methuen in 1957]... During the year a committee appointed by Council prepared a report for the Royal Commission on the Law relating to Mental Illness and Mental Deficiency and was able to refer to several works and papers published by members of the Society. It is important that the list of such services to the community, other than directly to members of the Society'. [Annual Report 1954-1955]
The Society became a subscribing member of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee in 1958 and held an event 'Science in Everyday Life' in 9 December 1959
After 1974 responses to Government policies papers and commissions were often 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. Although there are some examples such the BPS's statement on 'Privacy' sent to all MPS when the Younger Committee was announced in 1970 [see BPS/001/11/03/01/01].
In 1980 Alan Elliot wrote a paper 'Image and the Axe' for the Professional Affairs Board in response to what he perceived as the low reputation of psychology and the effect of finance cuts to manpower and services provided by psychologists, this paper led not only to the creation of the Press committee in 1983 but also proposed setting up a parliamentary lobby as part of the attempt to sell psychologists and psychology to the general public
During the Mental Health Bill passage through parliament in 1982 the Society lobbied MPs directly including Stan Thorne MP to raise specific amendments.
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. Not only did they ask for the advice of House of Commons Select Committees clerks for advice on the best way to present consultation responses they also started a series of proactive briefing. The first of these was held in Parliament on March 1985 (as part of the launch of book) on The Psychological Aspects of Nuclear War. The Standing Committee on Communications discussed topics for future briefings and as a result a 'Parliamentary Team' or 'Group' was created comprising Guy Fielding, James Thompson and Stephen White.
The Parliamentary Group held 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. John Sheppard was Chairman of the Parliamentary Group and responsibility holder for Parliamentary activities 1990-1996 reporting to Standing Committee on Communications successor the Information Committee.
Keith Vaz and Keith Hampson were British Psychological Society sponsored MPs c. 1992-1997. Keith Vaz at the instigation of the Society tabled a private members bill in 1992 'The Impact of Disasters' but it did not receive the support it required. They also lobbied for the compulsory registration of psychologists.
A London based Parliamentary officer Ana Padilla was employed by the British Psychological Society between September 2002 and December 2010.
In 2005 the British Psychological Society agreed a policy on on Campaigning, lobbying, and political activities to define the scope and limitation of this activity within their charitable status.
On the 11 July 2017 a BPS All Party Parliamentary Group for Psychology APPG met for the first time, chaired by Lisa Cameron, MP and clerked by the British Psychological Society. A subsequent meeting November 2017 launched a BPS report 'Psychology at Work'; April 2018 Prevention and Intervention - Supporting outs Children's Mental Health and psychological Wellbeing; June 2018 ‘Internet trolling – the nature and experience of being trolled and understanding what lies behind it’, July 2018 Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System: Managing transitions from youth to adulthood; November 2018 Understanding Obesity: The psychological dimensions of a public health crisis. |
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