Industry and Parliament Trust

The Industry and Parliament Trust (IPT) is a United Kingdom charity established to improve mutual understanding between Parliament and business. It operates from Whitehall, close to the Houses of Parliament, and brings together parliamentarians, companies, public officials, academics and other policy participants through educational programmes and structured dialogue. The organisation was created in 1977 by the chief executives of ten major British companies. Its founding premise was that public policy would benefit if parliamentarians had a clearer, practical understanding of how businesses operate, while companies and business leaders would gain a better appreciation of parliamentary work, political accountability and the policy-making process. The IPT became a registered charity in 1983. Its principal activity is a fellowship programme for Members of Parliament and members of the House of Lords. Fellowships are available irrespective of political party and are designed as educational rather than lobbying exercises. A typical programme involves approximately 12 days of placements over 18 to 24 months, although arrangements can be adapted to parliamentary schedules. Fellows gain exposure to companies and organisations in different sectors, allowing them to examine operational, economic and regulatory issues through direct experience. The programme is intended to strengthen understanding of business and the British economy rather than to promote a particular company or political position. Alongside fellowships, the IPT organises courses, seminars, panel discussions, lectures and other events for policymakers, business representatives, academics and civil servants. It also holds policy-focused events addressing issues that are being debated in Parliament and across the business community. The Trust describes its work as non-partisan, non-lobbying and not-for-profit, distinguishing it from commercial public-affairs agencies and conventional industry lobbying organisations. The IPT has reported organising more than 600 fellowship programmes since its creation. Its network of former and current fellows includes members of both Houses of Parliament and politicians from different parties, including former ministers, former Speakers and senior backbenchers. Fellows receive a cartoon when they complete their fellowship, a longstanding informal feature of the programme. The Trust is governed by a board that includes Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, business representatives, legal professionals and parliamentary clerks. The Speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords serve as presidents, while the trustees appoint a chair. Day-to-day operations are led by a chief executive and a small Whitehall-based staff. The IPT also has connections with related parliamentary-business initiatives in Wales, Northern Ireland and New Zealand; a Scottish counterpart, the Scottish Parliament Business Exchange, closed in 2016. The organisation’s continuing rationale is that parliamentary decisions affect employers, investors, workers, consumers and communities, while business experience can inform legislative scrutiny and economic policy. Its role is therefore best understood as institutional education and relationship-building between Parliament and the productive economy, rather than as a product-selling brand or an advocacy organisation with a single policy agenda.

The Industry and Parliament Trust was founded in 1977 by the chief executives of ten major British companies. Its creation reflected a concern that Parliament and business did not always understand each other’s responsibilities, constraints and decision-making processes. The founders sought to establish a structured, educational relationship rather than a conventional lobbying operation. The intended exchange was two-way: parliamentarians could obtain practical insight into companies and economic activity, while business participants could develop a better understanding of parliamentary scrutiny and public policy. The Trust became a registered charity in 1983. From the beginning, its central mechanism was the fellowship programme. Fellowships were opened to MPs and peers from all political parties and were designed to provide direct experience of business through company placements and related learning. Most programmes consist of around 12 days distributed across an 18- to 24-month period, although the format is flexible. The placements are explicitly educational and non-lobbying, allowing participants to explore how organisations operate without making the fellowship a vehicle for party-political or commercial advocacy. Over time, the IPT expanded its work beyond individual placements. It developed courses, seminars, panel discussions, lectures and policy events involving parliamentarians, civil servants, academics and representatives from business. These activities provide forums for examining economic and regulatory questions that are relevant both to Parliament and to industry. The Trust’s programme has consequently combined experiential learning with broader public discussion. The organisation has stated that it has arranged more than 600 fellowship programmes since its establishment. Its fellows have included members of both Houses, former ministers, former Speakers and politicians from multiple parties. The breadth of the fellowship network supports the Trust’s claim to be a cross-party institution rather than an organisation aligned with one political group. A completion cartoon given to fellows is one of its distinctive traditions. The IPT’s work has also addressed the level of business experience among people seeking parliamentary office. In October 2009, it commissioned research into the business backgrounds of prospective parliamentary candidates for the 2010 general election. The research reported that 48 percent of candidates in winnable seats had some form of business management or financial-services experience, highlighting the continuing debate about how much direct commercial and economic experience exists within political institutions. Governance is provided by a board of trustees containing MPs, members of the House of Lords, business representatives, legal professionals and parliamentary clerks. The Speakers of both Houses serve as presidents. The Trust is based in Whitehall and operates with a small staff led by its chief executive. Nick Maher became chief executive in July 2011, succeeding Sally Muggeridge, who had held the role for seven years. The IPT has been associated with similar initiatives outside Westminster. Related projects have operated in Wales and Northern Ireland, and a comparable model exists in New Zealand. The Scottish Parliament Business Exchange, another related initiative, closed in 2016. Through these relationships and its own programmes, the IPT has remained focused on improving the quality of communication between elected institutions and the organisations affected by economic policy.

• 2016

  Scottish Parliament Business Exchange closed

  [1]Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org

  A Scottish initiative associated with the wider parliamentary-business exchange model ceased operating.

• 2011

  Nick Maher appointed chief executive

  [1]Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org

  Nick Maher joined the Trust as chief executive in July 2011.

• 2009

  Research on business experience among parliamentary candidates

  [1]Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org

  The IPT commissioned research into the professional backgrounds of candidates for the 2010 general election, including their management and financial-services experience.

• 1983

  Registered as a charity

  [1]Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org

  The organisation obtained registered charitable status, formalising its not-for-profit institutional role.

• 1977

  Industry and Parliament Trust founded

  [1]Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org

  Chief executives of ten major British companies established the Trust to promote better understanding between Parliament and business.

A non-partisan, non-lobbying and educational bridge between the UK Parliament and organisations across industry and the wider economy.

• Parliamentary education and business placements · 1977

  IPT Fellowships

  The Trust’s main programme offers MPs and members of the House of Lords structured exposure to businesses and different areas of the economy. Fellowships are open across party lines and generally involve about 12 days of activity spread over 18 to 24 months. They are educational and non-lobbying, with programmes tailored to participants’ parliamentary responsibilities and interests.

• Policy discussion and public affairs education

  IPT Policy Events

  Courses, seminars, panel discussions, lectures and issue-focused events bring together policymakers, business people, academics and civil servants. The events address topics of contemporary relevance to Parliament and industry and are intended to support informed discussion rather than commercial promotion.

1. 1Industry and Parliament Trusten.wikipedia.org
2. 2Industry and Parliament Trust official websiteipt.org.uk