>> Please introduce yourself and tell us how you engaged with the UK Parliament.
>> My name is Dr Seema Patel, I’m a Senior Lecturer in Law at Nottingham Law School,
Nottingham Trent University. I’m an international expert on gender
discrimination in sport and I’ve offered extensive global media commentary on the legal
implications of gender eligibility rules. >> The House of Lords select committee on the
National Plan for Sport and Recreation invited me to take part in a private seminar covering
relevant aspects of sport and recreation policy. I was asked to talk in the topic of
the UK legislative framework in regard to sport and comparative international models. But I was
also given scope to expand upon inclusion issues and they welcomed suggestions from me. I was then
invited to submit written evidence as an academic expert on discrimination in sport offering a legal
and regulatory view on issues concerning barriers to participation, accountability
of sports bodies, and inclusion. >> How did you find out about the
opportunity to engage with Parliament? >> The clerk to the House of Lords select
committee on a National Plan for Sports and Recreation emailed me to invite me to the private
seminar. Having reviewed my online profile, they identified my experience in global sports law
with an experience in discrimination issues and I was shortlisted for this seminar based on my
sports law experience. >>
Why did you engage with Parliament? >> Well I engaged with Parliament because my
contribution to gender discrimination in sport research isn’t tokenistic. I really want to
influence and promote change in sport and Government policy
to develop meaningful and effective frameworks for inclusion in sport, and this was really a
perfect opportunity for me to do this. >> What did you do which you found worked
well during this engagement with Parliament? >> Well, I think the seminar brought together a
diverse and rich range of speakers in the field of sport and it was really useful to gain an insight
into other perspectives on the sport issues. It became really clear during
the seminar that the committee required short, sharp, punchy presentations from the speakers,
rather than a traditional academic delivery which I was accustomed to. And it was highlighted
actually from the outset that this would be relatively informal, approximately ten
minutes with questions from the committee after. And similarly the written evidence
needed to be adjusted to suit a non-academic, non-law audience, speaking directly to the
questions presented in the Call for Evidence, and cutting down any irrelevant waffle.
>> How did you feel about engaging with Parliament before you got involved, and did that change
after you engaged with Parliament? >> Well I was very honoured and excited to
engage with Parliament and offer my expertise. It’s really important to me that my research
influences and promotes change in policymaking to ensure inclusion in sport. I was really nervous
about interacting with notable Members, but the Committee were extremely welcoming and receptive,
the questions after the talk were manageable and they really challenged
me to speak concisely and precisely. >> Was there any support for you to engage with
Parliament, either from the parliamentary team that you engaged with, or from your university
or employer? If so, how did that help you? >> Well, Nottingham Law School were extremely
supportive of this engagement and the guidance from the Parliament clerk was
incredible throughout. Any silly questions I had were answered promptly and thoroughly
and they really made me feel very comfortable. >> What impact did your engagement have for
you as a researcher and as an individual? >> My engagement has really enhanced my research
profile and expanded the reach and depth of my research and personally it was a career highlight
to engage with Parliament in this way. >> What’s your one top tip for any researcher
looking to engage with Parliament? >> I would say, know what you want to say,
or contribute, in a few key bullet points, and have practical examples
of recommendations for the Committee. >> What message would you give to encourage
other researchers to engage with Parliament? >> Well, this entire experience is incredibly
enjoyable and valuable, and the team are really welcoming and friendly, and there
is an overarching sense that what you are doing is making a real difference by contributing.
>> Would you engage with Parliament again as a researcher?
>> Absolutely, if the opportunity arises I would love to.