The Association of Members of
IBM UK Pension Plans (AMIPP)

This page created 26 Jan 2003
How to access your MP

When and whether it is worth writing to your MP will depend on a lot of factors.  At the moment (Jan 2003) it may be best to hold your fire because the Ombudsman has not reported and the battle lines for the development of the next Pensions Act are not clear.

If you do write to your MP, you can (possibly) add to the effect by letting the AMIPP Webmaster know.   AMIPP can then mention you if it writes to your MP.

Starting with your postcode, you can find your MP's name at http://www.locata.co.uk/commons/   The alphabetical list at http://www.parliament.uk/directories/hciolists/alms.cfm will often tell you more.  If that specifies an individual website for the MP, then that will usually be a good contact source.  The alphabetical list may also give an opportunity to email but this is not the best way of emailing - it will be better if you can find an email address and send in the way you normally send emails. 

If you enter the MPs name in the lower box of http://politics.guardian.co.uk/people/browse/0,9357,,00.html and click GO then you will get more information on the MP.  The first link on the first page will (always?) be the MP name and the page you get from that will have a Contacts link.

 

If that fails, a  http://www.google.com/ search on the MP name may throw something useful up. 

 

There are some MPs who do not want emails, but you should have no difficulty finding their party allegiance.  A  telephone call the constituency office will discover the best way of reaching them. 

 

There is also a way to fax your MP, http://www.faxyourmp.com/, which has been used successfully by some members.

 

MPs are keen that you put your address, or at least postcode, on any communication so that they can check with the electoral roll that you are really in their constituency.  MPs will not usually respond to letters from those who are not their constituents.

 

The following press report may, or may not, influence the content of what you write:

 

MPs were told yesterday [27/1/2003] that automatic software is now monitoring email to their Westminster addresses; in its first week 908 messages were censored because of obscenities.  The MPs will be told if messages are stopped, and can ask to see them.