UK Parliamentary Archives

• Held At: Parliamentary Archives: GB-061
• Catalogue Reference: CPA
• Ref No: CPA
• Date: 1912-1980
• Level: Fonds
• Extent: 2 series, 30 sub-series, 263 files
• Creator Name: Empire Parliamentary Association; 1911-1948
• Creator Name: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; 1948-
• Administrative or Biographical History: The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and its affairs were administered by the United Kingdom Branch. A barrister by the name of Howard D'Egville, who had been much involved in setting up the Association, was appointed Secretary-General, a post which he held from 1911 until he retired in 1960. The original member branches were Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. By the outbreak of World War II, there were more than 20 branches of the Association, including provinces such as Ceylon, the Bahamas and Northern Ireland. Evolving with the Commonwealth, the Association adopted its present name in 1948, changed its rules to enable all member branches to participate in the Association's management, and established a separate secretariat to manage its affairs. Association branches now exist in more than 165 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of over 14,000 Parliamentarians. Conferences were an important activity of the Association and in 1924, the first full conference to be held in a Dominion took place in South Africa. From 1948 to 1959 these conferences became biennial and since 1961 take place annually. Global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system are analyzed in conference debates among leading Parliamentarians representing Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth. Since 1981, the CPA has held "Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences of Members from Small Countries" for representatives from more than 30 jurisdictions with populations of up to a current ceiling of 400,000 people. Members discuss political problems and the operation of democratic systems in some of the world's smallest jurisdictions.
  
  In the 1990s, nearly 30 new Parliaments and Legislatures joined or rejoined the CPA: Cameroon, Fiji, new devolved Assemblies in Canada, India and the United Kingdom, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa and its provinces, Uganda, and Zanzibar in Tanzania. Pakistan and its provinces were members until the 1999 coup.
  
  The CPA created in 1989 the constitutional posts of Patron and Vice-Patron. Her Majesty The Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth consented to become Patron. The Vice-Patron is normally the Head of State or Government of the Branch hosting the coming plenary conference.
  
  The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) was founded as an informal group in 1989 to increase the number of female elected representatives in Parliaments and legislatures across the Commonwealth and to ensure that women?s issues are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and legislation. The CWP was formally recognised by the CPA in 1996 and the CWP Chairperson was first elected in 2004.
  
  The CPA has since 1981 held Small Branches Conferences for Members from more than 30 jurisdictions with populations of up to a current ceiling of 500,000 people. Members discuss political problems and the operation of democratic systems in some of the world?s smallest jurisdictions through the CPA Small Branches Network and in 2016, the first CPA Small Branches Chairperson was elected.
  
  The CPA celebrated its centennial in 2011 and has continued to develop the traditions of the Commonwealth and to honour the work of the Association in a way which will promote and advance the evolution of the parliamentary system throughout the Commonwealth.
  
  The CPA's activities of 2018 focused on the Commonwealth's commitment to its fundamental political values, including just and honest government, the alleviation of poverty, fundamental human rights, international peace and order, global economic development, the rule of law, equal rights and representation for all citizens of both genders, the seperation of powers among the three branches of government and the right to participate in free and democratic political processes.
• Administrative or Biographical History: The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and its affairs were administered by the United Kingdom Branch. A barrister by the name of Howard D'Egville, who had been much involved in setting up the Association, was appointed Secretary-General, a post which he held from 1911 until he retired in 1960. The original member branches were Australia, Canada, Newfoundland, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. By the outbreak of World War II, there were more than 20 branches of the Association, including provinces such as Ceylon, the Bahamas and Northern Ireland. Evolving with the Commonwealth, the Association adopted its present name in 1948, changed its rules to enable all member branches to participate in the Association's management, and established a separate secretariat to manage its affairs. Association branches now exist in more than 165 national, state, provincial and territorial Parliaments, with a total membership of over 14,000 Parliamentarians. Conferences were an important activity of the Association and in 1924, the first full conference to be held in a Dominion took place in South Africa. From 1948 to 1959 these conferences became biennial and since 1961 take place annually. Global political issues and developments in the parliamentary system are analyzed in conference debates among leading Parliamentarians representing Parliaments and Legislatures throughout the Commonwealth. Since 1981, the CPA has held "Commonwealth Parliamentary Conferences of Members from Small Countries" for representatives from more than 30 jurisdictions with populations of up to a current ceiling of 400,000 people. Members discuss political problems and the operation of democratic systems in some of the world's smallest jurisdictions.
  
  In the 1990s, nearly 30 new Parliaments and Legislatures joined or rejoined the CPA: Cameroon, Fiji, new devolved Assemblies in Canada, India and the United Kingdom, Maldives, Mozambique, Nigeria, Seychelles, South Africa and its provinces, Uganda, and Zanzibar in Tanzania. Pakistan and its provinces were members until the 1999 coup.
  
  The CPA created in 1989 the constitutional posts of Patron and Vice-Patron. Her Majesty The Queen as the Head of the Commonwealth consented to become Patron. The Vice-Patron is normally the Head of State or Government of the Branch hosting the coming plenary conference.
  
  The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) was founded as an informal group in 1989 to increase the number of female elected representatives in Parliaments and legislatures across the Commonwealth and to ensure that women?s issues are brought to the fore in parliamentary debate and legislation. The CWP was formally recognised by the CPA in 1996 and the CWP Chairperson was first elected in 2004.
  
  The CPA has since 1981 held Small Branches Conferences for Members from more than 30 jurisdictions with populations of up to a current ceiling of 500,000 people. Members discuss political problems and the operation of democratic systems in some of the world?s smallest jurisdictions through the CPA Small Branches Network and in 2016, the first CPA Small Branches Chairperson was elected.
  
  The CPA celebrated its centennial in 2011 and has continued to develop the traditions of the Commonwealth and to honour the work of the Association in a way which will promote and advance the evolution of the parliamentary system throughout the Commonwealth.
  
  The CPA's activities of 2018 focused on the Commonwealth's commitment to its fundamental political values, including just and honest government, the alleviation of poverty, fundamental human rights, international peace and order, global economic development, the rule of law, equal rights and representation for all citizens of both genders, the seperation of powers among the three branches of government and the right to participate in free and democratic political processes.
• Acquisition: The first series of papers CPA/1 were deposited in Parliamentary Archives on 6 March 1985; accession number 2314. The second series of photographs and other records in CPA/2 were deposited on 12 Oct 1993; accession number 2806.
• Description: The records of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association consist of two series. The first series (CPA/1) consists of Financial Records, Membership Books and Reports; the reports include Addresses to the Association (CPA/1/6), Annual General Meetings (CPA/1/7) and Parliamentary Delegations. The second series (CPA/2) consists of photographs, audio-visual material, cartoons and certificates relating to the Association.
• Terms:
  • Palace of Westminster,
  • Politicians,
  • Parliament,
  • Colonial countries,
  • Africa,
  • Australia,
  • New Zealand,
  • India,
  • Second World War (1939-1945),
• Language: English
• Access Status: Open
• Physical Description: Manuscript, typescript and printed material. Black and white and colour photographs; film and audio tapes.
• Publication Notes: For further information on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, see Ian Grey "The Parliamentarians - The History of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, 1911-1985" (Cambridge 1986). See also the Association's website at www.cpahq.org

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