(APG0025)
Written evidence submitted by PICTFOR
Insights from PICTFOR Co-Chairs, Darren Jones MP and Baroness Neville-Rolfe DBE CMG, and PICTFOR Treasurer, The Rt Hon Lord McNally
- PICTFOR believe it is important for APPGs to operate to the highest standards of transparency and scrutiny, and feel that we operate with this as a priority. We are fortunate to operate in a fruitful sector and benefit from the appetite of the tech industry, academics and other stakeholder groups within the tech sector to work with Parliament. We hugely value the role that APPGs play in bringing parliament together with thought leaders from across industry, academia, civil society and beyond.
- We believe APPG’s can provide a valuable service to the House and to parliamentary democracy by further encouraging parliamentarians to engage with ‘the outside world’. The online debates facilitated by PICTFOR this year, in particular, have been invaluable in providing a forum for discussion on strategic issues relating to tech.
- By being able to fund an external secretariat we have the ability to provide a better structure with more regular events, operational efficiency, the use of external accountants and with an independent examiners’ report on annual accounts, building on a truly all-party political stance, and a more transparent service.
- We have built into our own structure, a number of measures to prevent infiltration or improper use of the APPGs. For example, we have taken a decision that any sponsored PICTFOR event must include sponsorship by more than one organisation. The co-sponsorship of events allows us to avoid promoting the interests of any one stakeholder over and above others. With over 30 external organisations as members, and via a tiered membership contribution, we find having multiple members helps to provide varied and balanced funding for the Group and makes sure we have a diversity of industry stakeholders are involved as well as our broad group of parliamentary officers/Vice-Chairs. We would welcome further discussion on this front and would support the development of guidance on how best to manage any perceived conflicts of interest should they arise. We would also be happy to share our own experiences further, if useful.
- PICTFOR have welcomed the flexibility of the Registrar to react to the pandemic and the recent Advice Notes issued on operations during the pandemic. We especially welcome the ability for APPGs to meet virtually, and to vote in meetings remotely. We would encourage a continuation of the digitalisation of the administration of APPGs, with downloadable paperwork and digital reporting where possible. We would again be happy to share further insights on this, if useful.
Please note: This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All- Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this report are those of the group.
20 November 2020