Explainers
Our explainers cover key subjects relating to our work, setting out key facts and figures and answering the most important questions about government.
Explore our explainers
The public bodies review programme
What is a public body review?
Whips: what is their role?
Whips are MPs and peers affiliated to a political party appointed to ensure their party colleagues vote according to the leader’s agenda.
Ministers in the Lords – their role and scrutiny
Most ministers are Commons MPs but some, including the new foreign secretary David Cameron, sit in the Lords
What was in the 2023 King’s speech?
Tuesday's state opening of parliament was the last before the next general election.
Conservative and Labour party selection of UK parliamentary candidates
How do the Conservatives and Labour choose who will stand for them in elections?
Artificial intelligence: definitions and implications for public services
Artificial intelligence has captured the public imagination, but what is it, how might it be used by government, and what concerns does that raise?
Artificial intelligence: how is the government approaching regulation?
What is the government doing to regulate artificial intelligence, and how is it ensuring alignment with other countries?
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper chamber of the UK parliament. But what does it do?
Local government section 114 (bankruptcy) notices
What is a section 114 notice, and why have councils been issuing more of them recently?
The use of Section 35 of the Scotland Act to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill
What are the court proceedings between the UK and Scottish governments about?