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Parliamentary Monitoring Services

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Parliamentary Monitoring Services
Founded1979
Headquarters
London
,
United Kingdom
Key people
Lionel Zetter (Managing Director)
ServicesPolitical research
OwnerHuveaux

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 Huveaux. Colin Doeg, author of Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry, characterized the company as a "comprehensive service",[1] and The Independent described it as a "well-known political lobbying firm".[2]

Political research

Parliamentary Monitoring Services was started in London in 1979.[3][4] The company researches the activities of the United States Congress, European Parliament, and the Parliament of the United Kingdom.[1] Lionel Zetter became Managing Director of the company in 1986.[5] 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".[6] In 1995 Sir Peter Fry was a paid consultant and shareholder of Parliamentary Monitoring Services.[7][8] The company published the second edition of PMS Guide to Pressure Groups in 1997,[9] and the third edition by J. Flower in 2000.[10] David Boothroyd, author of The History of British Political Parties, was a researcher at the company in 2001.[11][12] 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.[12] 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.[13]

William Howie, Baron Howie of Troon served as a publishing consultant to Parliamentary Monitoring Services in 2004;[14] and in 2007 The Times reported that Lord Howie received "regular remunerated employment" from the company.[15] In 2005, Zetter was Managing Director of the company's sister firm, Political Wizard.[16][17] Zetter noted in Public Affairs in Practice: "Without parliamentary monitoring, political news and political intelligence no public affairs campaign can hope to succeed."[18] Westminster lobbyist Doug Smith served as chairman of the company in 2006;[15] by 2007 Smith had left this role and his position on the company's board of directors.[19] 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.[4] Zetter made the decision in 2006 to sell Parliamentary Monitoring Services to Dods Parliamentary Communications,[5] and its parent Huveaux purchased the company for GBP4.8 million.[20] In 2007, Huveaux owned Parliamentary Monitoring Services through the Dods brand, the parent company's political division.[21]

Commentary

When asked if the Department for Work and Pensions 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 Dod's 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)."[22] 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."[1] The organization is described in Public Relations in Practice as "a political research, publishing, polling and campaigning company".[23] James Macintyre and Nigel Morris of The Independent called Parliamentary Monitoring Services a "well-known political lobbying firm".[2]

See also

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References

  1. ^ a b c Doeg, Colin (1995). Crisis Management in the Food and Drinks Industry. Springer. p. 221. ISBN 0412571102.
  2. ^ a b Macintyre, James (July 17, 2007). "Peers face inquiry over security passes given to lobbyists". The Independent. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ BusinessWeek (2009). "Parliamentary Monitoring Services Ltd". investing.businessweek.com. McGraw-Hill. Retrieved 2009-07-05. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ a b Keena, Colm (August 30, 2006). "Galway-based tech firm nets 4.8m for business". The Irish Times.
  5. ^ a b Quainton, David (January 19, 2007). "Profile: Industry advocate Lionel Zetter, president, Chartered Institute of Public Relations". PR Week. Haymarket Group. p. 17.
  6. ^ Prescott, Michael (April 12, 1992). "State educated Tories take over the reins - General Election 1992". The Sunday Times. Times Newspapers Limited. pp. 1, 4.
  7. ^ Nelson, Dean (September 17, 1995). "When Lobbyists Push Against An Open Door". The Observer. p. 6. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Obourne, Peter (May 12, 1995). "MPs Who May Lose Well-Paid Lobbying Jobs". Evening Standard. p. 20.
  9. ^ Page, Edward C. (2001). Governing by Numbers: Delegated Legislation and Everyday Policy-Making. Hart Publishing. p. 233. ISBN 1841132071.
  10. ^ Kober-Smith, Mark (2000). Legal Lobbying. Routledge Cavendish. p. 92. ISBN 1859415997.
  11. ^ Reference & Research Book News staff (August 2001). "Politico's Guide to the History of British Political Parties". Reference and Research Book News. 16: 157.
  12. ^ a b Boothroyd, David (2001). The History of British Political Parties. London: Politico's Publishing. p. Jacket. ISBN 1-9023001-59-5. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
  13. ^ PR Week staff (July 12, 2002). "Royal British Legion Hires Parliamentary Monitoring Services". PR Week. Haymarket Group. p. 5, Public Sector Briefs.
  14. ^ Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords, HM Government (2004). Register of Lords' Interests: As On 16 July 2004. London, United Kingdom: Parliament of the United Kingdom. p. 117. House of Lords, Session 2003-04, HL Paper 147.
  15. ^ a b Coates, Sam (July 17, 2007). "Cash for peers". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. p. 1.
  16. ^ Hall, Ian (September 16, 2005). "Taylor and Zetter battle it out for CIPR presidency". PR Week. Haymarket Group. p. 2.
  17. ^ PR Week staff (October 28, 2005). "CIPR: 2007 presidential election result". PR Week. Haymarket Group. p. 2.
  18. ^ Thomson, Stuart (2007). Public Affairs in Practice: A Practical Guide to Lobbying. Kogan Page. p. 24. ISBN 978-0749444723. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Coates, Sam (July 17, 2007). "Pass, friend: how a peer is able to smooth the way for lobbyists - Access to Parliament". The Times. Times Newspapers Limited. p. 6.
  20. ^ "UK smallcap opening - Huveaux boosted as H1 earnings more than double". AFX UK Focus. AFX News Limited. July 26, 2006.
  21. ^ Johnston, Bryan (August 14, 2007). "One To Watch: Huveaux". The Scotsman. The Scotsman Publications Ltd.
  22. ^ Smith, Andrew (June 17, 2002). "Members of Parliament (Personal Data)". House of Commons Hansard. London, United Kingdom: Parliament of the United Kingdom. Column 98W. Retrieved 2009-07-05.
  23. ^ Gregory, Anne (2003). Public Relations in Practice. Kogan Page. p. xi. ISBN 0749433817.
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