The organisation of the Parliamentary Office
In addition to MPs and their personal assistants, Parliament employs about 440 people.
Office Commission
Among other things, the Office Commission decides on Parliament's annual budget proposal, appoints civil servants to the key offices of Parliament (apart from the Secretary-General), agrees on the conditions of employment for Parliament's civil servants and decides on how Parliament's facilities are allocated, in addition to which it makes substantial procurement decisions. The Office Commission consists of the Speaker and the two deputy speakers as well as of four MPs chosen by Parliament and their alternate members.
Parliamentary Office
The task of the Parliamentary Office is to establish the necessary conditions for Parliament to carry out the duties belonging to it as a branch of state. The Parliamentary Office functions under the supervision of the Office Commission and it consists of some 440 civil servants who answer to the Secretary-General of Parliament.
The Parliamentary Office's six departments and units work under the Secretary-General focusing on the fields of legislative work, committee work, international affairs, communications, information and library services, administration (e.g. personnel, financial, real estate and information management services) as well as the security of Parliament. The Parliamentary Office is also responsible and in charge of the system of providing personal assistants to MPs.
Central Office
The Central Office is responsible for planning the work associated with Parliament's plenary sessions, helping prepare for and implement plenary sessions and providing related services, drafting the minutes of a plenary session, drafting and publishing Parliamentary documents and registers, translating key parliamentary documents into Swedish as well as for distributing and storing the documents. The Central Office prepares plenary session schedules for deliberation by the Speaker's Council and handles session-related cooperation with the Government and the parliamentary committees.
Committee Secretariat
The Committee Secretariat provides secretarial services for the committees as well as handles the preparation of parliamentary matters to be brought before the committees and the arranging of related support functions.
Administration and Services Department
This department handles Parliament's administrative affairs such as finances, real estate management, information and communications technology as well as personnel administration. The Administration and Services Department prepares matters for the Office Commission and handles the implementation of the Commission's decisions. It also deals with issues related to Parliament's housekeeping as well as the planning of its operations and finances.
International Department
The International Department assists the Speakers, MPs and Parliament's various organs and units in the handling of international affairs. Examples include international parliamentary speakers' conferences, Parliament's foreign visits and exchanges as well as the work MPs do in international inter-parliamentary institutions.
Information and Communication Department
Parliament Communications disseminates information on plenary sessions, committee work, international affairs, the actions of the Speaker's Council, the Speakers, the Office Commission and Parliamentary Office as well as on Parliament's development projects. The services and materials of the Library of Parliament are selected with the primary aim of supporting the work of MPs. The Knowledge Support Unit acquires data and background material as well as performs various studies for MPs and other employees of Parliament to facilitate legislative work.
Security Department
This unit is responsible for developing Parliament's security system and keeping it operational in all circumstances. Day-to-day security work has the aim of ensuring that Parliament remains a safe and pleasant place to work in.
Parliamentary assistants
An MP's personal assistant is tasked with aiding his or her Member in the preparatory and planning work associated with legislative activities, compiling background material and handling communications and correspondence as well as performing secretarial and clerical work. The areas of emphasis in their job description are determined according to the needs of MPs.