SPICe is the Scottish Parliament's in-house research and information service, comprised of over 50 subject experts and information specialists. SPICe provides impartial facts, analysis, and briefings to support MSPs and parliamentary committees in their work. Its goal is to ensure citizens and elected officials are well-informed to contribute to democratic governance in Scotland. SPICe services include a confidential enquiry service for MSPs, longer briefings on bills and issues, committee support, online resources, and making information publicly available. Some challenges SPICe faces include handling complex inquiries with short deadlines, keeping publications and information current, adopting new technologies, and ensuring awareness of its services.

1. 21st century digital services
for parliamentarians
Paul Cannon
Information Assistant, SPICe
11 June 2009

2. SPICe
Scottish Parliament Information Centre
 Who are we?
 What do we do?
 Who do we do it for?

3. Who are we?
Over 50 people, recruited as
specialists:
 Half are research subject
experts
 Half are information specialists
 …and office management

4. What does SPICe do?
 Facts, analysis, briefings
 Research
 Impartial expertise
 News and current affairs

5. Information strategy
 Need well-informed citizens to
contribute to the democratic
process
 Need well-informed MSPs to
help govern Scotland

6. Who for?
 MSPs and their staff
 Parliament committees
 Parliament staff
 The public - indirectly

7. SPICe services
We provide an internal service to:
 The Scottish Parliament
Corporate Body
 Senior management
 All Parliamentary offices

8. How?
 Confidential enquiry service for
MSPs
 Longer briefings – on bills, hot
topics
 Work for committees
 On-line services
 Making parliament information
available to the public (website,
partner libraries)

9. Material for Debates

10. SPICe Insight

11. Podcasts

12. Access to the e-environment
Some of the challenges we face:
 Complex inquiries
 …with short deadlines
 Keeping publications up-to-date
 …and information current
 Technology
 Training and inductions for staff
 Awareness of services and products