Register of Interests of Members’ Staff
The scope of the Register of Interests of Members’ Staff includes all MPs’ staff with access to the parliamentary network, rather just staff with parliamentary passes.
Following a debate on 16 July 2025, the House of Commons agreed proposals from the Committee on Standards to expand the scope of the Register of Interests of Members’ Staff to staff with access ot the parliamentary network.
Background informationA Register of Interests of Members’ Staff was first established by a resolution of the House of Commons, in December 1985. A new edition of the register is published approximately every six weeks.
Initially, MPs’ staff were required to register “any relevant gainful occupation which they may pursue other than that for which the pass was issued”.
The scope of the register was expanded in June 1993 and staff were additionally required to register gifts, benefits and hospitality.
The requirements applied to all MPs’ staff who had been issued with a parliamentary pass.
Changes made in July 2025In June 2025, the Committee on Standards recommended that “the scope of the Register of Interests of Members’ Staff be expanded to include both staff who hold a photo identity pass and those who have a parliamentary network account” (PDF).
Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, wrote to the committee and confirmed that she was “happy to support your proposal for a change to the requirements for Members’ staff to register interests” (PDF).
Lucy Powell tabled the following motion to implement the committee’s recommendation:
That, this House approves the Third Report of the Committee on Standards, Session 2024–25, HC 943, on Register of Interests of Members’ Staff, subject to any transitional arrangements agreed by the Committee on Standards, and amends the provisions endorsed by the Resolution of the House of 28 June 1993 as follows:
Members’ staff who hold a permanent photo-identity pass or have been granted a Parliamentary network account are required to register in the Register of Interests of Members’ Staff, subject to the thresholds set out in that Register:
Any occupation or employment for which they receive over £450 from the same source in the course of a calendar year, if that occupation or employment is in any way advantaged by the privileged access to Parliament afforded by either a photo-identity pass or a Parliamentary Network Account;
Any gift (eg jewellery) or benefit (eg hospitality, services) they receive, if the gift or benefit in any way relates to or arises from their work in Parliament and its value exceeds £450 in the course of a calendar year; and/or
Any visit undertaken that has been paid for by a third party, if it in any way relates to or arises from their work in Parliament.
In an appendix to the Committee on Standards’ report (PDF), the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards set out the current rules on MPs’ staff interests and described how the requirement on staff to register interests has evolved.
The committee’s report, Register of Interests of Members’ Staff (PDF), and the government’s response, Register of Interests of Members’ Staff: Government Response (PDF), are available on the Committee on Standards’ website.