Parliamentary Monitoring Services
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary Monitoring Services is a United Kingdom
-based political research and publishing company. The company researches the activities of the United States Congress
, European Parliament
, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. Consultants to the company have included British politicians Sir Peter Fry
and William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
. The company published PMS Guide to Pressure Groups, as well as PMS Guide to the 1997 General Election. It has been hired for political research work by The Sunday Times
and The Royal British Legion
. In 2006, the company was sold along with its sister company Political Wizard to Dods Parliamentary Communications, a subsidiary of Dods (Group) PLC
, (formerly Huveaux PLC). Colin Doeg, author of Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry, characterized the company as a "comprehensive service", and The Independent
described it as a "well-known political lobbying firm".
in 1979. The company researches the activities of the United States Congress
, European Parliament
, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom
. Lionel Zetter became Managing Director of the company in 1986. In 1992 the company conducted a study commissioned by The Sunday Times
which "revealed that, for the first time, more Conservatives were educated in state schools than in private schools". In 1995 Sir Peter Fry
was a paid consultant and shareholder of Parliamentary Monitoring Services. The company published the second edition of PMS Guide to Pressure Groups in 1997, and the third edition by J. Flower in 2000. David Boothroyd, author of The History of British Political Parties
, was a researcher at the company in 2001. Boothroyd was the principal compiler of the second edition of PMS Guide to Pressure Groups, as well as PMS Guide to the 1997 General Election. In 2002 the company was hired by The Royal British Legion
to develop an Internet-based tool to help the organization make its case for Her Majesty's Government to recognize Gulf War syndrome
.
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
served as a publishing consultant to Parliamentary Monitoring Services in 2004; and in 2007 The Times
reported that Lord Howie received "regular remunerated employment" from the company. In 2005, Zetter was Managing Director of the company's sister firm, Political Wizard. Zetter noted in Public Affairs in Practice: "Without parliamentary monitoring, political news and political intelligence no public affairs campaign can hope to succeed." Westminster
lobbyist Doug Smith served as chairman of the company in 2006; by 2007 Smith had left this role and his position on the company's board of directors
. In 2006, Parliamentary Monitoring Services owned a fifty percent stake in Political Wizard, and received GBP1.5 million for this share when Political Wizard was bought out by Huveaux subsidiary Dods Parliamentary Communications. Zetter made the decision in 2006 to sell Parliamentary Monitoring Services to Dods Parliamentary Communications, and its parent Huveaux purchased the company for GBP4.8 million. In 2007, Huveaux owned Parliamentary Monitoring Services through the Dods brand, the parent company's political division.
maintained profiles on MPs, then-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
, Andrew Smith, noted: "The Department does not compile personal profiles on MPs. We do have access to parliamentary reference works such as Dods and in order to provide, in a cost-effective way, such reference information to the large number of officials drafting parliamentary answers we subscribe to Parliamentary Monitoring Services Ltd. (PMS)." Writing in the book Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry, author Colin Doeg characterized Parliamentary Monitoring Services as a "Comprehensive service covering the proceedings of Westminster and European Parliaments as well as US Congress." The organization is described in Public Relations in Practice as "a political research, publishing, polling and campaigning company". James Macintyre and Nigel Morris of The Independent
called Parliamentary Monitoring Services a "well-known political lobbying firm".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
-based political research and publishing company. The company researches the activities of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. Consultants to the company have included British politicians Sir Peter Fry
Peter Fry
Sir Peter Derek Fry is a British Conservative Party politician.Born in High Wycombe, Fry was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and Worcester College, Oxford. He became an insurance broker and a director of the family retail clothing business...
and William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon , known as Will Howie, is a retired British Labour Party politician and former Member of Parliament ....
. The company published PMS Guide to Pressure Groups, as well as PMS Guide to the 1997 General Election. It has been hired for political research work by The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
and The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
. In 2006, the company was sold along with its sister company Political Wizard to Dods Parliamentary Communications, a subsidiary of Dods (Group) PLC
Dods (Group) PLC
Dods PLC , formerly Huveaux PLC, is a company that provides political information, and public affairs communications in the UK, and European Union, and learning and training in the UK public sector. Dods is a public limited company registered in England No. 04267888...
, (formerly Huveaux PLC). Colin Doeg, author of Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry, characterized the company as a "comprehensive service", and The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
described it as a "well-known political lobbying firm".
Political research
Parliamentary Monitoring Services was started in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1979. The company researches the activities of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
. Lionel Zetter became Managing Director of the company in 1986. In 1992 the company conducted a study commissioned by The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
which "revealed that, for the first time, more Conservatives were educated in state schools than in private schools". In 1995 Sir Peter Fry
Peter Fry
Sir Peter Derek Fry is a British Conservative Party politician.Born in High Wycombe, Fry was educated at the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and Worcester College, Oxford. He became an insurance broker and a director of the family retail clothing business...
was a paid consultant and shareholder of Parliamentary Monitoring Services. The company published the second edition of PMS Guide to Pressure Groups in 1997, and the third edition by J. Flower in 2000. David Boothroyd, author of The History of British Political Parties
The History of British Political Parties
The History of British Political Parties, also referred to as Politico's Guide to the History of British Political Parties, is a reference book on political parties in the United Kingdom, written by David Boothroyd. It was published in 2001 by Politico's and distributed in the United States by...
, was a researcher at the company in 2001. Boothroyd was the principal compiler of the second edition of PMS Guide to Pressure Groups, as well as PMS Guide to the 1997 General Election. In 2002 the company was hired by The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion , sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to those who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants.-History:The British Legion was...
to develop an Internet-based tool to help the organization make its case for Her Majesty's Government to recognize Gulf War syndrome
Gulf War syndrome
Gulf War syndrome or Gulf War illness describes a medical condition that affected veterans and civilians who were near conflicts during or downwind of chemical weapons depot demolition, after the 1991 Gulf War. A wide range of acute and chronic symptoms have included fatigue, musculoskeletal...
.
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon
William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon , known as Will Howie, is a retired British Labour Party politician and former Member of Parliament ....
served as a publishing consultant to Parliamentary Monitoring Services in 2004; and in 2007 The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
reported that Lord Howie received "regular remunerated employment" from the company. In 2005, Zetter was Managing Director of the company's sister firm, Political Wizard. Zetter noted in Public Affairs in Practice: "Without parliamentary monitoring, political news and political intelligence no public affairs campaign can hope to succeed." Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
lobbyist Doug Smith served as chairman of the company in 2006; by 2007 Smith had left this role and his position on the company's board of directors
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
. In 2006, Parliamentary Monitoring Services owned a fifty percent stake in Political Wizard, and received GBP1.5 million for this share when Political Wizard was bought out by Huveaux subsidiary Dods Parliamentary Communications. Zetter made the decision in 2006 to sell Parliamentary Monitoring Services to Dods Parliamentary Communications, and its parent Huveaux purchased the company for GBP4.8 million. In 2007, Huveaux owned Parliamentary Monitoring Services through the Dods brand, the parent company's political division.
Commentary
When asked if the Department for Work and PensionsDepartment for Work and Pensions
The Department for Work and Pensions is the largest government department in the United Kingdom, created on June 8, 2001 from the merger of the employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security and headed by the Secretary of State for Work and...
maintained profiles on MPs, then-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is a post in the British Cabinet, responsible for the Department for Work and Pensions. It was created on 8 June 2001 by the merger of the Employment part of the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Social Security.The Ministry...
, Andrew Smith, noted: "The Department does not compile personal profiles on MPs. We do have access to parliamentary reference works such as Dods and in order to provide, in a cost-effective way, such reference information to the large number of officials drafting parliamentary answers we subscribe to Parliamentary Monitoring Services Ltd. (PMS)." Writing in the book Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry, author Colin Doeg characterized Parliamentary Monitoring Services as a "Comprehensive service covering the proceedings of Westminster and European Parliaments as well as US Congress." The organization is described in Public Relations in Practice as "a political research, publishing, polling and campaigning company". James Macintyre and Nigel Morris of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
called Parliamentary Monitoring Services a "well-known political lobbying firm".
See also
- List of political parties in the United Kingdom
- Politics of the United KingdomPolitics of the United KingdomThe politics of the United Kingdom takes place within the framework of a constitutional monarchy, in which the Monarch is the head of state and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government...
- Pressure groups in the United KingdomPressure groups in the United KingdomThis is a list of pressure groups in the United Kingdom. These pressure groups, based on their relationship with United Kingdom policy makers, can be divided into insider groups, who have high degree of involvement and influence and outsider groups, who have little or no direct involvement or...
- Referendums in the United KingdomReferendums in the United KingdomReferendums are only occasionally held by the government of the United Kingdom. Eleven referendums have been held so far , the first in 1973; only two of these covered the whole UK...
External links
- Parliamentary Monitoring Services, company information at BusinessWeekBusinessWeekBloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
- Parliamentary Monitoring Services, description at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...