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It is easy to find out who your MP is and how to contact them. You can call the House of Commons Information Office on 020 7219 4272 or find your MP on .

If you don't have much time, then an easy way to get your views on record is to send an email or letter to your MP. Be clear and concise, and set out what you're asking for. 

It's very helpful for planning future work and developing important relationships if we know how MPs are responding to our campaigning work, or other issues that you raise. If you're happy to share their response, please let us know what they said.

If you have more time, meeting your MP in person for a discussion will have even greater impact. Most MPs hold regular advice surgeries for constituents either on a first come-first served basis or by appointment, so just contact your MP’s office to find out when they will next be available to meet with you in the constituency

Having a face-to-face meeting with your MP gives you the opportunity to let them see your knowledge, experience and interest in the chemical sciences. Due to the busy schedules that MPs have, your meeting is likely to be short, so plan the key points you want to get across to them.

If you want to discuss something detailed or technical at the meeting then it can be useful to put down any key points on paper, or in an email, for the MP in advance. If you are contacting your MP as part of one of our campaigns, there will be a short briefing available which you can use both as a guide for your meeting and for handing to your MP when you meet.

While many of the issues that we campaign on in the UK come under the remit of the government in Westminster, some (such as education) are devolved to the Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly. So if you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can contact MSPs, AMs and MLAs as well as MPs. If your issue is especially local, you may wish to contact your local councillors or if you are raising something that is decided at European Union level then you can contact your MEPs.

You can find out who all your elected representatives are by entering your postcode at  - this will tell you who represents you as MP, MEPs, local councillors and devolved government representatives (where relevant). If you are not sure exactly who to contact, we can offer advice.

Your MP can help support the chemical sciences through increasing public awareness (in the media and social media), asking questions or speaking in Parliament, raising the issues with the relevant government ministers and, on occasion, by the way they vote in Parliament. MPs with a lot of local employment in the chemical sciences are likely to be easier to engage with, but if that does not include your MP then they still have a key role to play so please try and get them on board.

MPs receive a large quantity of correspondence, by email and post, so it helps to make sure what you send them stands out. The more you personalise a template, to show your experience and your own feelings about the subject, the better. If your email is identical to others your MP receives then they may not give it as much priority (although they should still respond), but if that is all you have time to do then even several identical emails help to show the MP this is an issue which their constituents care about.

All your elected representatives can help raise your issue, even if they do not have direct responsibility for decision making. Your MP will usually take an interest in all issues, even if the direct responsibility lies with devolved government or the European Union. If you are not sure exactly where your concerns should go, contacting your MP is usually a good start.

Often MPs will only allocate 10 minutes or so per meeting, so do not be disappointed if your meeting is short, just try to get your points across succinctly. Due to the busy schedules of MPs, it is not unusual for meetings to get shortened or changed at the last minute, so do not be discouraged. You can always ask to meet again, or follow up any unfinished points in writing. Your MP may have one or more members of staff, or volunteers, with them at the meeting. They could be observing, taking notes or playing an active part in the meeting.

Usually MPs have advice surgeries in their local office or public buildings around the constituency and their office will tell you what options there are. If you live in (or near to) London, then some MPs will also hold meetings with their constituents in Parliament, although most prefer to meet in the constituency. If you live close enough to Westminster and would be happy to meet your MP there, you can tell them you are happy to meet locally or in Parliament, whichever is easiest for them.

While MPs do not often vote against their own party, a government minister will have good opportunities to influence their colleagues behind the scenes - and the same goes for the government’s backbenchers. Whatever their role in government, your MP remains the MP for your constituency and you can raise any issue with them. The way they help you may be less public than an opposition MP, but they can still help and may actually have great influence.

All MPs have influence, even if their party is not currently in power. They can put pressure on the government, and their own party leadership, to raise the profile of your issue and help get policy changes enacted by government.

If your MP’s response does not fully answer your questions then following up with another email or asking to meet your MP is a good idea. Even a less than perfect response from your MP is still useful as you know you have successfully put the issue on their radar. If you are unsure of what to do next we can offer advice on what your next steps could be.