During the visit Ms Karakhodjaeva and Mr Musaev will be able to learn about how British parliamentary democracy works and how Parliament operates on a day-to-day basis. Their visit is the latest in a series of exchanges between Uzbek and British parliamentarians, including through visits to Uzbekistan by Baroness Stern and Baroness Warsi (now Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office), Lord Waverley and Peter Lilley MP in 2012; and Senator Safaev to the UK in November 2011. The visit is sponsored by the British Embassy in Tashkent and organized by the Overseas Office of the House of Commons.

HM Ambassador discussed with Ms Karakhodjaeva and Mr Musaev their visit programme, which will include a range of meetings with their British counterparts to discuss how each side supports MPs and members of the upper House, and how both parties might learn from each other. During these meetings they will hear about the structure of the British Parliament, the legislative process and the process for drafting bills.

They will also have a chance to consider the UK Parliament’s role in considering foreign affairs and the development of relations with overseas parliaments; they will discuss ethical issues in parliamentary work and compare recruitment and training processes for parliamentary clerks. The visitors will observe proceedings in both Houses of Parliament and attend Prime Minister’s Question Time in the House of Commons.

Ms Karakhodjaeva and Mr Musaev said they greatly welcome the chance to study the British parliamentary system and to explore best practice that might be used for the further development of the Uzbek Parliament. HM Ambassador wished them a good trip and said he was looking forward to receiving them on their return to hear the results of their exchanges with their British colleagues.