This page covers the UK Parliament at Westminister the main purpose is to give a brief overview of the roles and responsibilities of Westminster and your MP (Member of Parliament).
Reproduced below you will find a brief explanation of some of the ins and outs of Westminster – The House of Commons (MPs) and The House of Lords (Peers).
Northern Ireland has 18 constituencies – that’s a potential for 18 MPs (Member Of Parliament) to represent the Northern Ireland electorate in Parliament.
Nearly all MPs represent political parties. If an MP does not have a political party, they are known as an ‘Independent’ and they work in Parliament on behalf of all the people of their constituency – even those who did not vote for them.
We hope that our MPs work transparently to ensure government is operating in the best interests of those whom they represent rather than for the administrative convenience of ministers, civil servants or other state agencies.
So that decisions that are made will not adversely affect our daily lives, either as the man/woman on the street or as the motorcyclist on the road.
What if we as the voter and motorcyclist could put our thoughts to the politicians on what we think is the right or a better course for motorcycling in Northern Ireland?
By making MPs aware of another point of view that comes from the motorcycle community, a view that perhaps they are not aware of, or a view that does not just highlight problems but offers solutions.
Perhaps we could learn from them their views on motorcycling and understand any negative issues they might have with motorcycling.
View list of Northern Ireland MPs as elected at the General Election 6th May 2010 – Click Here
Your MP – Lobby
How does your MP deal with your problems? Where your problem does require you to contact your MP, there are a number of methods available to try to resolve the matter:
Helping You MPs are there to help only with those matters for which Parliament or central government is responsible. It may be that the first step would be to contact your local councillor or MLA. It may require raising the matter in the House (Parliament) whereby he or she may feel that there is something to be gained by making the matter public and may want to raise the issue in the House of Commons in front of the press and public. To reach this stage suggests that something important is the matter! |
We often take a problem to our MP because we do not know who else could help us, but your MP (MLA – Councillor – MEP) is not there to help you in private disputes with neighbours, with an employer, with family matters or with companies who have sold you faulty goods; nor can they interfere with decisions made by courts.
Raising The Matter
Adjournment Debates – try to raise your problem in the half hour Adjournment Debate, which is usually the last business of the day! Although there will be competition amongst MPs for the right to raise matters on adjournment and your MP must be successful in a ballot or have his or her subject chosen by the Speaker. Early Day Motions – or drawing attention to the matter by what is called an Early Day Motion. Although EDMs are very rarely debated, your MP will have placed on record his or her opinion on a subject and is able to gauge the support of his or her fellow MPs. Click Here for example Private Members’ Bill – If your MP becomes aware that your problem is a common one then he or she may try to gain the opportunity to introduce a Private Member’s Bill . Only a very few such measures are successful but once again, publicity is drawn to the matter and the Minister may be persuaded to make changes in the future. Petitions – If you and other people feel strongly about a certain issue, you may decide to organise a petition to the House of Commons. The petition can only be presented by an MP. The Prime Minister’s website also provides an opportunity to present an electronic petition. Your Freedom – The government has launched (2010) a new website which gives you the chance to tell them which laws and regulations you think should get rid of. Your feedback (apparently) will inform government policy and some of your proposals could end up making it into bills that they will bring before Parliament to change the law. |
Oral Questions – The most popular is for your MP to put the Minister on the spot by asking an oral question at Question Time. an MP tables a written question to the appropriate Government department.
Campaigns and Lobbying
At times a constituent’s demands may conflict with party policy and your MP will have to decide where their first loyalty should lie. The MP may think that, in any case, a majority of constituents would support the party policy, after all that is likely to be one of the reasons why they elected him or her. You can contact your MP Click Here Original Source: House of Commons Information Office – You and Your MP pdf 125kb |
MPs are often contacted by constituents campaigning on behalf of a particular cause, perhaps representing an organised pressure group.
How It Works
“The House was designed so that rival parties would sit on opposite rows of benches positioned precisely two sword-lengths apart to prevent things getting out of hand.” “Great minds hand-picked from glittering careers in academia, business and public life: the House of Lords is a hotbed of talent.” Information on Peers from Northern Ireland – from Stratagem – Click Here |
Have a look at the BBC Democracy website for an irreverent look at the roles – powers and how laws are made in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Motorcycling In ParliamentAssociate Parliamentary Group for Motorcycling
The group for motorcycling is an Associate Parliamentary Group. The purpose of the motorcycle group is to safeguard motorcycling interests by monitoring legislation for matters affecting motorcycling in both the UK and Europe and taking remedial action where necessary; to represent motorcycling issues to fellow parliamentarians; to organise social events; to foster the good image of motorcycling and, by example, to encourage others to take up motorcycling. So all well and good, if we knew what was actually happening within the group and what it is achieving for motorcyclists – the riders, but we don’t. Rowan Public Affairs Ltd, on behalf of the Motor Cycle Industry Association, provides administrative assistance by acting as group’s secretariat. One Northern Ireland MP is a member of the group – Answers on who this is – on the back of a postcard. Parliamentary Transport Select Committee
Within its terms of reference, the Committee chooses its own subjects of inquiry and seeks evidence from a wide range of groups and individuals. In 2009 the committee set up an inquiry to scrutinise the, “New European Motorcycle Test” the inquiry invited interested parties to submit written evidence and took oral evidence. This led to a press release entitled , Millions wasted on new motorcycle ‘super test centres’” and a full report published on the 23rd March 2010. The government usually has 60 days to reply to the committee’s recommendations. One Northern Ireland MP attended the committees inquiry – Answers on who this is – on the back of a postcard. Government Advisory Group on Motorcycling
It set out a clear programme of action for motorcycling to make a positive difference for motorcycling that was developed through the Government Advisory Group on Motorcycling. Since 2005 through the National Motorcycle Council (NMC), which brings together motorcycle user groups, manufacturing, retailing and training industries as well as local government and Department for Transport officials, has worked on the strategy and in 2008 revised the action plan of the strategy. The DfT officials have stated that they will continue to work with the motorcycling community to take account of the role of motorcycling in their transport policies. Full Information Click Here Riders Are Voters
Full Details Click Here Although the DfT have said that they will continue to work with the motorcycling community, to take account of the role of motorcycling in our transport policies, they or the Government seem to have missed the point on incentives to develop greener motorcycles. They said that, “Mopeds and motorcycles make up less than 1% of transport greenhouse gas emissions, and are not thought to contribute significantly to local air pollution.” However on incentives for motorcyclists to purchase greener bikes, they have said that is already in place in the form of VED, which is banded according to engine size, smaller bikes for all motorcyclists to lower emissions? They further add that electric motorcycles are exempt from VED and are likely to benefit from lower running costs. The DfT recognises it (Motorcycling) as a valid transport choice and their Strategy aims to create better conditions for those who make that choice. However commenting on incentives for people to take up motorcycling, they say that the Government is neutral on whether or not people should take up motorcycling. As you can see, we have moved from Parliament to a Government Department which although involving motorcycle representatives, sticks closely to the Government position when required and Government politically at its grass roots is made up of MPs who sit in Parliament and are elected by Bikers who R Voters. |
All-party groups are regarded as relatively informal with membership mainly comprising of backbench Members of the House of Commons and Lords but may also include ministers and non-parliamentarians.
The Transport Committee is charged by the House of Commons with scrutiny of the 
The Department for Transport (DfT) published the Government’s Motorcycling Strategy in February 2005 to mainstream motorcycling.
The DfT has responded to the issues raised in the UK organisations Riders Are Voters (RAV) campaign.
About This Information
The information, believe it or not is basic and reflects as voters concerned with motorcycling, what we should know and where Right To Ride is placing itself to promote and protect motorcycling. Published 7th April 2010 |
The information has been sourced from various sources including the various European websites – 
