On 27 April 2023, Professor Judy Laing will be joined by senior health policy specialist Tom Powell to share their experiences of working in the House of Commons Library. Judy worked closely with Tom during her fellowship, and will discuss the different ways you can engage to build impact for your research. They will be joined by a representative from Policy Bristol, who will talk about how they can support this type of parliamentary engagement work.

About the speakers

Professor Judy Laing

Judy is a Professor of Mental Health Law and Policy in the Law School. She undertook a parliamentary academic fellowship in the HoC Library for 18 months during 2020-2022. During her fellowship she prepared several research briefings for parliamentarians and provided information to help MPs respond to constituent enquiries. She also provided advice to researchers working on POST notes and was invited to give oral evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee in 2021 and to the Joint Scrutiny Committee on the Draft Mental Health Bill in 2022.

Tom Powell

Since 2010 Tom Powell has been the health policy specialist at the House of Commons Library research service, working alongside a small team of researchers covering health and social care. In addition to responding to individual requests from MPs and their staff he has published briefings on a range of issues, including health legislation and NHS reform (most recently on the Health and Care Act 2022). From 2017 to 2018 Tom undertook a secondment to the Department of Health and Social Care, running the Department’s Parliamentary Relations Unit and providing advice to Ministers and civil servants.

About the event

This is an in person event. A sandwich lunch will be provided. Please register to attend the event via Eventbrite.

Please direct any queries about the event to law-research-exec@bristol.ac.uk