Donoughmore, Bundestag, Westminster, Or ‘Yaha Paalanaya’ an Alternative Proposal for the Reform of the Parliamentary Committee System

8/10/2019 Donoughmore, Bundestag, Westminster, Or Yaha Paalanaya an Alternative Proposal for the Reform of the Parlia

1/19

DONOUGHMORE, BUNDESTAG, WESTMINSTER, OR

YAHA PAALANAYA? AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL FOR

THE REFORM OF THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE

SYSTEM

Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images, via Hufngton Post

by Asanga Welikala - on 0/!/"0#

A$$ording to President %aithri&ala'irisena(s timetable )or his 00-day re)orm &rogramme, the 'tanding*rders o) Parliament are to be amended on "0th +anuary to re)orm the&arliamentary $ommittee system A$$ording to the 00dayslkebsite,

.he 'tanding *rders ill be amended and, in terms o) Pro&osal/0 no tabled in Parliament, *versight 1ommittees ill be setu& $om&rising members o) Parliament ho are not in the 1abinetill be established 2si$3 and their 1hairmanshi& ill be given to

re&resentatives o) all %inisters in $onsultation ith the leaders o)all &arties re&resented in Parliament4.here are a number o) &er&le5ing &roblems ith this 65$e&t )or somenes&a&er re&orts during the $am&aign &eriod that made brie) re)eren$e tothe $ommon o&&osition(s desire to re)orm the $ommittee system so as toestablish a 7orking &arliament( in the model o) the German Bundestag, noone seems to have seen 7Pro&osal /0(, and $ertainly there has been no&ubli$ dis$ussion about its details In the &resent system, in addition to
http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/01/12/sri-lankan-polls_n_6456460.htmlhttp://groundviews.org/author/asanga-welikala/http://100days.lk/http://groundviews.org/images/groundviewslogo.pnghttp://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/01/12/sri-lankan-polls_n_6456460.htmlhttp://groundviews.org/author/asanga-welikala/http://100days.lk/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/18/donoughmore-bundestag-westminster-or-yaha-paalanaya-an-alternative-proposal-for-the-reform-of-the-parliamentary-committee-system/


2/19

'&e$ial Pur&ose and Ad Ho$ 1ommittees, e have 1onsultative 1ommittees)or ea$h %inistry, hi$h are $haired by the %inister $on$erned .his ise5tremely unsatis)a$tory to the e5tent that it is a method not o) &romotinglegislative s$rutiny and a$$ountability o) the e5e$utive, but o) $o-o&tinglegislators as &oli$y advisors to the %inisters

Alloing )or &oor language and dra)ting in the &assage 8uoted above, hatseems to be no envisaged is a ne ty&e o) $ommittee $alled 7*versight1ommittees(, a $hange o) name that im&lies a $hange o) the role o) the$ommittees )rom $onsultation to oversight o) the e5e$utive .his seems&ositive e5 )a$ie, but it is undermined by the re)eren$e to their $hairmenbeing re&resentatives o) %inisters, although a&&ointed in $onsultation ith&arty leaders .his seems to me to be no re)orm at all, but merely atinkering ith the &resent system hereby its most unsatis)a$tory )eature isvery slightly $hanged, so that the $ommittee $hairs are not the %inistersthemselves, and that the $hairs are a&&ointed in $onsultation In this

res&e$t, it must also be noted that President 'irisena(s mani)esto merelysaid, at &age #, 9.he Parliamentary 1ommittee 'ystem )or %inistries illbe rein)or$ed4, im&lying that the &resent system o) 1onsultative1ommittees ould be strengthened and enhan$ed rather than re)ormed orre&la$ed .his there)ore begs 8uestions about the $om&rehensives o) the&ro&osed re)orms, in the sense that a &ro&er &arliamentary $ommitteesystem is and ought to be )ar ider than de&artmental $ommittees, andin$ludes '&e$ial Pur&ose 1ommittees and 'ele$t 1ommittees

It also raises several other broader &roblems What is the theory o) $hange

under&inning the entire 00-day &rogramme: What are the dee&ernormative values and &rin$i&les o) demo$ra$y and $onstitutionalism thate are trying to realise through these institutional re)orms: ;oubtless the&eo&le o) 'ri a=a&aksas, their $ronies, and all their $orru&t orks, hat does this&ositively mean: 7?aha &aalanaya( is o)ten translated as 7good governan$e(,but in my vie, it ould be a mistake to assume that hat is meant by theterm in 6nglish @and es&e$ially in the sense it is used by G*s andinstitutions like ;P and the World BankC is hat this term meant or

im&lied in the language o) &rotest in the last ele$tion, and the values hi$hare asso$iated ith the term that resonate ith 'ri


3/19

in$luding the >a=a&aksa loyalists o) the PDA, that demo$ra$y re)orms arene$essary We also agree that the re)orm o) the &arliamentary $ommitteesis a key element o) this But ho are re)orms to be &rioritised andse8uen$ed: Why are e introdu$ing, and ithout ade8uate dis$ussion,$ommittee re)orms ahead o) the )ar more )undamental re)orms to thesystem o) government itsel) )or hi$h President 'irisena has a mandate:

Ho $an one design a &arliamentary $ommittee system ithout knoingthe &re$ise regime-ty&e E hether semi-&residential, &arliamentary, orsome unusual hybrid i) the +H(s ineteenth Amendment Bill is )olloed Ethat ould emerge on$e dee&er $onstitutional $hanges are made to thesubstantive &oers and institutional )orm o) the &residen$y:

In$identally in this regard, I share Pro)essor Fumar ;avid(s delight anda&&robation, together ith the benet o) the doubt that he has givenPresident 'irisena, that the ne &oli$y seems to be outright abolition o) thee5e$utive &residen$y rather than &ie$emeal redu$tion o) its &oers Again

as the ebsite $ited above says, on "st +anuary,

.he &ro$ess ill begin o) abolishing the authoritarian e5e$utive&residential system and re&la$ing it ith an e5e$utive o) a 1abineto) %inisters res&onsible to Parliament, and o) re&ealing the!th Amendment to the 1onstitution ith legislation to establishstrengthened and inde&endent institutions, in$luding a +udi$ial'ervi$es 1ommission, a Poli$e 1ommission, a Publi$ 'ervi$e1ommission, an 6le$tions 1ommission, a 1ommission againstBribery and 1orru&tion and a Human >ights 1ommission .his ill

be through a thAmendment to the 1onstitution, hi$h ill be&resented to Parliament and &assed as si)tly as &ossible4

.his is el$ome nes, and )or the arguments I have $anvassed elsehere,this needs to in$lude a %edia 1ommission and an In)ormation 1ommissionI) this holds true, then our overar$hing system o) government and$onstitutional tradition is destined )or a return to our Westminster and1ommonealth roots We ill re-=oin our great neighbour India in the$ategory o) 1ommonealth 76astminsters( @to borro HarshanFumarasingham(s termC, hi$h has long demonstrated to the orld ho to

maintain a vibrant demo$ra$y and a healthy res&e$t )or &luralism at thesame time as a strong and united state, belying the ludi$rous and indeedtrea$herous arguments about &residentialism emanating )rom &ro->a=a&aksa &oliti$al s$ientists unable to a$$e&t the demo$rati$ verdi$t o) the&residential ele$tion But hile this does not im&ly any kind o) un$riti$al orme$hanisti$ imitation o) any other $ountry, e should also be $are)ul not tore&li$ate the vainglorious ego$entri$ity and disingenuousness ith hi$hthe >a=a&aksas invested the ord 7home-gron( in the re$ent &ast We
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/president-sirisena-needs-to-be-resolute/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/17/securing-the-freedom-of-expression-in-the-new-sri-lanka-essential-institutional-reforms/https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/president-sirisena-needs-to-be-resolute/http://groundviews.org/2015/01/17/securing-the-freedom-of-expression-in-the-new-sri-lanka-essential-institutional-reforms/


4/19

should there)ore dra )rom the $entral normative and stru$tural &rin$i&lesthat are $hara$teristi$ o) the 1ommonealth tradition in designing a systemo) $onstitutional and demo$rati$ government, hi$h is, nonetheless, madeby 'ri


5/19

o) ba$kben$h &oliti$s and $ommittee ork, )or re&resentation and s$rutiny,and legislative &oli$y s&e$ialisation Indeed, at least a large minority o)%embers o) Parliament do not have the basi$ edu$ation or intelle$tual$a&a$ity to )ull the re8uirements o) the =ob )or hi$h they are ele$ted,even though in terms o) &re)eren$e votes, they $onsistently beat )arorthier $andidates all the time And among those ho do have the talent

and $a&a$ity, ith some notable and &raiseorthy e5$e&tions, most seemto &re)er e5e$utive roles or media $elebrity to the unglamorous butabsolutely $riti$al tasks that are &er)ormed by Parliaments aay )rom thelimelight In these $ir$umstan$es, institutional design seems almostirrelevant to the $risis o) &oliti$al $ulture e are )a$ed ith .hose hoadvo$ate the ;onoughmore system I imagine are realisti$ally attem&ting toaddress this )eature o) our &oliti$al $ulture, by ameliorating the demands)or ministerial a&&ointments ith a role in the e5e$utive )or legislatorsBut this is to a&&ly a &laster over a &roblem that re8uires ma=or surgery

.he $o-o&tation o) o&&osition legislators into the a$tivities o) the e5e$utive

ould seriously en)eeble the institutional $hannels )or the e5&ression o)demo$rati$ o&&osition, and re$ent e5&erien$e attests to the dire$onse8uen$es o) both eak institutions and eak o&&ositions .he bettera&&roa$h, then, is to resus$itate the role and relevan$e o) Parliament insu$h a ay as to make it a genuine )orum o) redressing grievan$es and as alegitimate institution o) deliberative demo$ra$y .his re8uires moredis$ussion along the lines suggested above, and indeed e need to learn)rom the ma=or innovations, in$luding the use o) in)ormational and$ommuni$ation te$hnology, that have o$$urred in the &ast )e de$ades insu$h Parliaments as that o) the nited Fingdom, '$otland, 'outh A)ri$a,

1anada, Australia, e Kealand, and +a&an But given the tight re)ormtimetable, I should like here to oer some readily available &ra$ti$alsolutions that may be ee$ted by the relatively sim&le e5&edient o)amending the 'tanding *rders *ther suggestions that relate to buildinglegislative su&&ort servi$es )or &arliamentary $ommittees ill be $onsideredse&arately I) hasty re)orms are ena$ted this eek, then e might need torevisit the issue in the ne5t Parliament

.he 1ommittee on Publi$ A$$ounts.he &ra$ti$e o) other Parliaments that a member o) the o&&osition $hairsthe Publi$ A$$ounts 1ommittee needs to be ado&ted Durthermore, a

&rudent mi5 o) e5&erien$e as ell as o) available talent and e5&ertise needsto in)orm the 1ommittee o) 'ele$tion in a&&ointing motivated %embers tothe Publi$ A$$ounts 1ommittee As ith *versight 1ommittees )or %inistries@see beloC, the hearings o) the Publi$ A$$ounts 1ommittee must be madea$$essible to the media and the &ubli$, although their deliberations maybeheld in $amera Government must be obliged to res&ond to the re&ortedvalue )or money ndings o) the 1ommittee ithin a reasonable time)rame


6/19

.he Publi$ A$$ounts 1ommittee is a tried and tested me$hanism o) &ubli$nan$ial a$$ountability in other &arliamentary systems, but in 'ri


7/19

shi&&ing and &orts

#Administration o) =usti$e and la and orderN $onstitutional aairsN &risonsN

immigration and emigrationN registration o) &ersonsN $ontrol o) nar$oti$s

and drugs

HealthN so$ial se$urity and el)areN housingN rehabilitation, resettlementand re$onstru$tion @relevan$e o) this area to be revieed in ve yearsC

Doreign relationsN national se$urity and de)en$e

!6du$ationN human resour$e develo&mentN s$ien$e and te$hnology

6m&loyment and labour relations

0.ele$ommuni$ationsN mediaN &ostal servi$esIn addition trans-se$toral *versight 1ommittees are im&ortant in the)olloing areasM

;evolution

"6$onomi$ and Administrative >e)orms

JHuman >ights, 68ual *&&ortunities and Gender 68uity

O6nvironmental Prote$tion.he advantage o) trans-se$toral $ommittees is that they ill be able toe5$lusively $on$entrate on the broader issues $on$erning their mandate)rom ithin the legislative &ro$ess 'u$h a $ommittee on devolution, )orinstan$e, ill be able to hel& Parliament avoid the inadvertent transgressiono) $onstitutional &rin$i&les in making la, and be able to ensure $entrallegislation is $onsistent ith devolution and other $onstitutional

re8uirements In addition, a $onvention needs to be established hereby a%ember o) Parliament )rom the orthern or 6astern Provin$es $hairs the1ommittee o) ;evolution

%inistries o) 'tate

An ambiguity at rst glan$e ith regard to the system o) 1onsultative1ommittees no obtaining, relates to the $onLi$t beteen Arti$le O# @C o)the $onstitution hi$h &rovides )or the a&&ointment o) %inisters o) non-1abinet rank @no $alled %inistries o) 'tateC ho are nonetheless

res&onsible to Parliament, and 'tanding *rders that only &rovide )or theestablishment o) 1onsultative 1ommittees $orres&onding to the number o)1abinet %inistries .his is an anomaly that needs immediate re$ti$ation soas to bring su$h %inistries ithin the regime o) &arliamentary s$rutinyPriyanee Wi=esekera has &reviously suggested that the 1ommittee o)'ele$tion $ould over$ome this &roblem by e5er$ising a degree o) Le5ibilityin the a&&li$ation o) the 'tanding *rder, having regard to the $onstitutionalre8uirement o) ministerial res&onsibility Hoever it ould a&&ear that the


8/19

better a&&roa$h is to bring the anomalous 'tanding *rders in line ith the&rovisions and re8uirements o) the $onstitution

1hair&erson

nder the &resent 'tanding *rders, 1onsultative 1ommittees are $haired by

the res&e$tive 1abinet %inister, or in his absen$e, and in the $ase o)%inistries held by the President, by the ;e&uty %inister While 1onsultative1ommittees must meet at least on$e a month, the date and time o) su$hmeeting is to be named by the %inister .he rationale )or this as Wi=esekera&oints out is 9the res&onsibility he bears in res&e$t o) su$h %inistry, and the)amiliarity he has a$8uired ith the )un$tioning o) the institutions underhim4 'ensible as this may seem, the $ontrary &ro&osition is also true that a&arliamentary $ommittee designed to oversee the administration o) a&arti$ular bran$h o) the e5e$utive ill be )atally inhibited by the &resen$e o)its &oliti$al head as $hairman o) the $ommittee A ne system o) *versight

1ommittees must there)ore avoid the sele$tion o) %inisters or ;e&uty%inisters as $hairmen or even as members Given the &resent $onstitutional)rameork and relevant =udi$ial de$isions, hi$h &romote the notion o) a7&arty demo$ra$y(, it is in$on$eivable that even a government &artyba$kben$her ould &lay the inde&endent role e5&e$ted o) an *versight1ommittee $hair&erson As su$h the emergent $onvention in su$h s&e$ial&ur&ose $ommittees as the 1ommittee on Publi$ 6nter&rises that ano&&osition %ember is a&&ointed to the $hair, may be )ruit)ully re&li$atedhere

%atters re)erred to *versight 1ommittees

.he $urrent 'tanding *rders restri$t the &otential s$o&e o) the 1onsultative1ommittees as monitors o) administration by s&e$i$ally listing the mattersthat may be re)erred to them .hus the $ommittees are $onstrained to$onsider only those matters that may be &ro&erly dire$ted to them su$h as&ro&osed legislation, estimates, motions, annual re&orts, et$, that $omeithin the &urvie o) the &arti$ular %inistry *n the other hand, i) themandate given to a ne system o) *versight 1ommittees is )ounded on thebroad demo$rati$ values o) trans&aren$y and a$$ountability, then a more

general systemi$ &rin$i&le may be develo&ed that re8uires the e5aminationo) the e5&enditure, administration and, $ru$ially, &oli$ies underdevelo&ment in %inistries, government de&artments, and asso$iated &ubli$entities 'u$h an organising &rin$i&le ould enable ider and dee&ers$rutiny o) administration as ell as the e5&loration o) &ubli$ &oli$yalternatives by *versight 1ommittees It ould also )a$ilitate thea$8uisition o) s&e$ialised knoledge by %embers o) Parliament, and theenri$hment o) debates on the Loor o) the House


9/19

A signi$ant sub=e$t, hi$h &erha&s re8uires a s&e$ially dedi$ated*versight 1ommittee, is on statutory instruments 'ubordinate legislationmust be mandatorily laid be)ore the $ommittee )or re&ort to Parliament'ubmission o) the e5e$utive to su$h a $ommittee ensures intravires administrative a$tion in terms o) the authority $on)erred by Parliament

as ell the $onstitution Wi=esekera also gives a sound &oli$y $onsideration)or the establishment o) a $ommittee on delegated rule-makingM 9;etaileds$rutiny o) subordinate legislation ould also hel& redu$e the number o)rit a&&li$ations brought be)ore $ourts4 .he same $ommittee may alsooversee 1onsolidation Bills

Poers o) *versight 1ommittees

A ne ethos must be set )or the ne regime o) a$$ountability, hi$h ouldentail that %embers sit in $ommittee in their &ersonal $a&a$ity @ie, not as

&arty ambassadorsC and a$t im&artially and inde&endently A ne $ulture)ounded u&on demo$rati$ values and traditions must be established )romthe outset herein %embers a&&re$iate the $onstitutional role they aree5&e$ted to &lay on behal) o) the &eo&le Here again e see the im&ortan$eo) dis$ussing the normative under&innings o) institutional re)orm, and hysu$h norms and &rin$i&les must be e5&ressly arti$ulated &erha&s as a&reamble to the 'tanding *rders

.he &resent 1onsultative 1ommittees have the &oer to summonitnesses, $all )or do$uments and re$ords, to move )rom &la$e to &la$e, and

to initiate any Bill or motion through its 1hair&erson @the %inisterC .he'tanding *rders also re8uire senior $ivil servants o) the relevant %inistriesto be &resent at the monthly meetings o) the $ommittees .hese &oersand re8uirements need to be $ontinued, albeit meetings o) *versight1ommittees may be more than on$e monthly and $ivil servants ould bee5&e$ted to do more than merely be &resent

It is im&erative that a ne system o) *versight 1ommittee $rystallises, atleast by $onvention, the &ra$ti$e o) %inisters to never re=e$t an invitationby a $ommittee to give oral or ritten eviden$e *versight 1ommittees

should also be em&oered to sele$t the issues )or in8uiry .hey must alsobe able to obtain s&e$ialist advi$e )rom sour$es that in$lude $ivil so$ietyand the &ro)essions in addition to governmental sour$es A &ossibility orthe5&loring, and hi$h ould substantially enhan$e the 8uality o)deliberations, is the $o-o&tion o) about three members o) $ivil so$iety hoare a$knoledged leaders in their elds o) e5&ertise to be a&&ointed by the*versight 1ommittees to a$t as $onsultants .hey should be able to&arti$i&ate in the $ommittees( deliberations, but ould, o) $ourse, have no


10/19

voting rights A )orm o) this &ra$ti$e is )olloed ith great su$$ess in the'$ottish Parliament, hi$h being a uni$ameral &arliament, it as seen as aay o) in$or&orating e5&ert knoledge into the legislative &ro$ess,hereas, this is a$hieved at Westminster through the a&&ointment o)e5&erts and intelle$tuals to the House o)


11/19

1ommons 1ommission and the '&eaker run the administration o) theHouse, ith oversight )rom ;omesti$ 'ele$t 1ommittees Hoever a modelorth $losely studying as being, ithin budgetary $onstraints, not only&arti$ularly suited )or our $onditions, but also )or its e5&ress andune8uivo$al a$$e&tan$e o) the im&ortan$e o) su&&ort servi$es )or themeaning)ul )un$tioning o) &arliamentary demo$ra$y, is the organisation o)

the ational ;iet


12/19

onlineC, but may also be oral briengs, s&e$ial re&orts or assistan$e ith billdra)ting

.his sort o) $entralised organisation o) servi$e &rovision is ideally suited )ora national Parliament both in terms o) ef$ien$y and $ost ee$tiveness *urParliament already &ossesses a good library that is under-utilised by its

membershi& and $ommittees .he stru$tures and &ersonnel )or moreservi$e-oriented resour$es )or $ommittees ill hoever need to be set u&and ays )ound to nan$e them

1om&lementing su$h a stru$ture )or su&&ort servi$e &rovision )or&arliamentary $ommittees and individual members is the administrativeand se$retarial servi$es &rovided under e5isting 'tanding *rders by the'e$retary General o) Parliament to $ommittees Hoever, theadministrative sta needs to be su&&lemented by 8ualied resear$h&ersonnel orking &ermanently ith the *versight 1ommittee or the

s&e$ial &ur&ose $ommittees like the 1ommittee on Publi$ A$$ounts and1ommittee on Publi$ 6nter&rises *ver time, the &ermanent resear$h staould be$ome the re&ository o) )ormidable s&e$ialisms and knoledge inthe areas o) &ubli$ &oli$y and administration dealt ith by the res&e$tive$ommittees 1ommittee resear$hers $ould have a$$ess to the $entralstru$tures o) resear$h and su&&ort servi$es &rovided by bodies like the


13/19

the a$$ounting )un$tion @ie, the narro )o$us on e5$essC underlying

'tanding *rder J" @C to @OC need to be revieed, and 'tanding *rders

J" and J"A amended a$$ordingly in$luding $onse8uential $hanges to

'tanding *rder "#

.he &ro$edure laid don in 'tanding *rder J" @#C in res&e$t o) disalloede5$esses and 'tanding *rder J"A @OC in res&e$t o) losses in any Advan$ed

A$$ount A$tivity is sound*versight 1ommittees

.he system o) 1onsultative 1ommittees should be re$onstituted as

7*versight 1ommittees(, and be grounded on the general &rin$i&le that an

*versight 1ommittee shados the o&eration o) ea$h %inistry .he

)rameork under 'tanding *rders 0O to #A ould thus re8uire

e5tensive alteration

.he &resent anomaly beteen Arti$le O# @C o) the 1onstitution @&roviding

)or the a&&ointment o) non-1abinet rank %inistersC and 'tanding *rder 0O

@hi$h only envisages a 1onsultative 1ommittee )or every 1abinet %inistryC

should be resolved in )avour o) the 1onstitution

A ne system o) *versight 1ommittees must avoid the sele$tion o)

%inisters or ;e&uty %inisters as $hairmen or even as members @$)

'tanding *rder 0#C .he emergent $onvention in su$h s&e$ial &ur&ose

$ommittees as the 1ommittee on Publi$ 6nter&rises that an o&&osition%ember is a&&ointed to the $hair may be re&li$ated here

.he allo$ation o) sub=e$t )or oversight by &arliamentary $ommittees need

not be on the basis o) ea$h line %inistry @$) 'tanding *rder 0OC

.he sub=e$ts $an be rationalised around overla&&ing se$toral areas as ell

as some im&ortant trans-se$toral areas .he )olloing is one ay o)

organising the establishment o) *versight 1ommittees and s&e$ial &ur&ose

$ommittees su$h as the PA1 and 1*P6M

Dis$al and monetary &oli$yN Investment &romotion and industrialdevelo&mentN Internal trade

"Budget )ormulation and managementN >evenue mobilisation and

disbursementN &ubli$ a$$ounts

JAgri$ultural &oli$yN 'tate landsN DisheriesN Animal husbandry

OPoer and energyN Highays, road trans&ort and railaysN AviationN

'hi&&ing and Ports


14/19

#Administration o) =usti$e and la and orderN egistration o) PersonsN 1ontrol o)

ar$oti$s and ;rugs

HealthN 'o$ial se$urity and Wel)areN HousingN >ehabilitation, >esettlement

and >e$onstru$tion @relevan$e o) this area to be revieed in ve yearsCDoreign relationsN ational se$urity and de)en$e

!6du$ationN Human resour$e develo&mentN '$ien$e and .e$hnology

6m&loyment and labour relations

0.ele$ommuni$ationsN %ediaN Postal servi$es

.he s&e$ial &ur&ose $ommittees ill $ontinue to e5ist In the $ase o) the

PA1, hoever, it may either be brought ithin the *versight 1ommittee

)rameork @under heading no 0", su&raC, or alloed to $ontinue ithin the

$ategory o) s&e$ial &ur&ose $ommittee but ith a broader mandate In vieo) the venerable 1ommonealth traditions surrounding PA1s, the latter is

the more attra$tive o&tion

In addition trans-se$toral *versight 1ommittees are im&ortant in the

)olloing areasM

;evolution



O6nvironmental Prote$tion .he 1*P6 may $ontinue as a s&e$ial &ur&ose $ommittee, or be re-

$onstituted as a sub-$ommittee o) the trans-se$toral *versight 1ommittee

on 6$onomi$ and Administrative >e)orms As ith the PA1, the &re)eren$e

should be to $ontinue the status 8uo, ith a $onvention o) $o-o&eration

ado&ted beteen 1*P6 and the trans-se$toral *versight 1ommittee

.he advantage o) trans-se$toral $ommittees is that they ill be able to

e5$lusively $on$entrate on the broader issues $on$erning their mandate

)rom ithin the legislative &ro$ess 'u$h a $ommittee on devolution, )or

instan$e, ill be able to hel& Parliament avoid the transgression o)

$onstitutional &rin$i&les as in the $ase o) the th Amendment to the

1onstitution

In addition, a $onvention needs to be established hereby a %ember o)

Parliament )rom the orthern or 6astern Provin$es $hairs the 1ommittee o)


15/19

;evolution

.he $urrent 'tanding *rders restri$t the &otential s$o&e o) the 1onsultative

1ommittees as monitors o) administration by s&e$i$ally listing the matters

that may be re)erred to them, ie, &ro&osed legislation, estimates, motions,

annual re&orts et$, that $ome ithin the &urvie o) the &arti$ular %inistry@$) 'tanding *rder 0C

I) a ne system o) *versight 1ommittees is )ounded on the broad

demo$rati$ values o) trans&aren$y and a$$ountability, then a more general

systemi$ &rin$i&le may be develo&ed that re8uires the e5amination o)

the e5&enditure ,administration and, $ru$ially, the &oli$ies o) %inistries,

government de&artments and asso$iated &ubli$ entities 'tanding *rder

0 there)ore re8uires amendment

A signi$ant sub=e$t hi$h re8uires a s&e$ially dedi$ated $ommittee is onstatutory instruments and 1onsolidation Bills 'ubordinate legislation must

be mandatorily laid be)ore the $ommittee )or re&ort to Parliament .his may

be established as an *versight 1ommittee or as a ne s&e$ial Pur&ose

$ommittee Alternatively, a sub-$ommittee may be set u& under the trans-

se$toral *versight 1ommittee on 6$onomi$ and Administrative >e)orms

.he &resent 1onsultative 1ommittees have the &oer to summon

itnesses, $all )or do$uments and re$ords, to move )rom &la$e to &la$e, and

to initiate any Bill or motion through its 1hair&erson @$) 'tanding *rderOC .he 'tanding *rders also re8uire senior $ivil servants o) the relevant

%inistries to be &resent at the monthly meetings o) the $ommittees @$)

'tanding *rders " and OC .hese &oers and re8uirements need to be

$ontinued in the $ase o) *versight 1ommittees

A ne system o) *versight 1ommittee must establish, by $onvention, the

&ra$ti$e o) %inisters to never re=e$t an invitation by a $ommittee to give

oral or ritten eviden$e *versight 1ommittees should also be em&oered

to sele$t the issues )or in8uiry

.hey must also be able to obtain s&e$ialist advi$e )rom sour$es that in$lude

$ivil so$iety and the &ro)essions in addition to governmental sour$es A

&ossibility orth e5&loring, is the $o-o&tion o) about three members o) $ivil

so$iety ho are a$knoledged leaders in their elds o) e5&ertise to be

a&&ointed by the *versight 1ommittees to a$t as $onsultants .hey should


16/19

be able to &arti$i&ate in the $ommittees( deliberations, but ould, o)

$ourse, have no voting rights

.he *versight 1ommittees must &resent regular re&orts to Parliament on

their a$tivities and ndings ith ade8uate regard to $ondential

in)ormation .he re&orts may also $ontain re$ommendations addressed tothe government, and to hi$h the latter should be re8uired to &ublish

res&onses ithin a reasonably set &eriod o) time

While *versight 1ommittee re&orts should be debated on the Loor o) the

House as the sub=e$t o) a substantive motion, the &ra$ti$e o) the House o)

1ommons that at least re&orts are 7tagged( )or re)eren$e in relevant

debates may be use)ully re&li$ated here'IGH. 1*%%I..66''tanding *rder 0O

.he 1ommittee o) 'ele$tion shall at the $ommen$ement o) a Parliament

a&&oint the )olloing 'e$toral *versight 1ommitteesM

Doreign >elationsN ational 'e$urity and ;e)en$e

"Investment Promotion and Industrial ;evelo&mentN .rade

JAgri$ultural Poli$yN 'tate oad .rans&ort and >ailaysN AviationN

'hi&&ing and Ports

#Administration o) +usti$e and


17/19

Immigration and 6migrationN >egistration o) PersonsN 1ontrol o) ar$oti$s

and ;rugs

HealthN 'o$ial 'e$urity and Wel)areN HousingN >ehabilitation, >esettlement

and >e$onstru$tion @relevan$e o) this area to be revieed in ve yearsC

6du$ationN Human >esour$e ;evelo&mentN '$ien$e and .e$hnology!6m&loyment and elations

.ele$ommuni$ationsN %ediaN Postal 'ervi$es

In addition the 1ommittee o) 'ele$tion shall a&&oint the )olloing .rans-

'e$toral *versight 1ommitteesM

;evolution and the 1onstitution



O6nvironmental Prote$tion and 'ustainable ;evelo&ment 6a$h *versight 1ommittee shall determine and announ$e to Parliament the

%inistries it shall be overseeing during the li)e o) a Parliament

*versight 1ommittees shall $o-o&erate ith ea$h other and ith other

1ommittees o) Parliament in the dis$harge o) their &oers, duties and

)un$tions'tanding *rder 0#

.he 1ommittee o) 'ele$tion shall not a&&oint 1abinet %inisters, on-

1abinet >ank %inisters, or ;e&uty %inisters as members o) *versight1ommittees

All *versight 1ommittees, e5$e&t the .rans-'e$toral *versight 1ommittee

on ;evolution and the 1onstitution, shall a&&oint an *&&osition %ember as

its 1hairman

.he .rans-'e$toral *versight 1ommittee on ;evolution and the 1onstitution

shall a&&oint a %ember )rom the orthern or 6astern Provin$e as its

1hairman

'tanding *rder 0!o member shall serve in more than one 'e$toral *versight 1ommittee, butmay simultaneously serve in a 'e$toral *versight 1ommittee and a .rans-'e$toral *versight 1ommittee'tanding *rder 0

.he duty o) an *versight 1ommittee shall be to in8uire into and re&ort onany matter as it deems t ith res&e$t to the administration, e5&enditureand &oli$ies o) any %inistry, Government ;e&artment or other &ubli$ entity'tanding *rder J


18/19

>e&orts )rom an *versight 1ommittee on a s&e$i$ matter re)erred to it by

Parliament shall be &resented to Parliament by the 1hairman ithin three

months o) su$h re)eren$e, and i) $onsidered ne$essary, Parliament may

&ro&ose the )urther $onsideration o) any &arti$ular items A reservation by

any member o) a 1ommittee may be added to the >e&ortMProvided that matters re)erred to an *versight 1ommittee shall not betaken u& )or $onsideration by Parliament until the >e&ort o) the *versight1ommittee on those matters is &resented to Parliament

An Annual >e&ort o) all other a$tivities and ndings in$luding

re$ommendations addressed to the Government o) an *versight 1ommittee

during the &re$eding year shall be moved by its 1hairman )or debate by

Parliament at the $ommen$ement o) the year, and its shall be the duty o)

the Government to &ublish a res&onse to ea$h *versight 1ommittee Annual

>e&ort ithin three months o) &resentation to Parliament

It shall be the duty o) the 'e$retary General o) Parliament to indi$ate u&on

the *rder Pa&er o) Parliament relevant o$$asional, interim or Annual

>e&orts o) an *versight 1ommittee )or the &ur&oses o) other debates'tanding *rder O

6a$h *versight 1ommittee shall have the &oer to send )or and e5amine

any &ersons in$luding 1abinet %inisters, on-1abinet %inisters, ;e&uty

%inisters, 'e$retaries to %inistries and other Publi$ *f$ials, &a&ers and

re$ords, to move )rom &la$e to &la$e and to do all su$h a$ts as are

ne$essary )or the )ullest $onsideration o) matters in the dis$harge o) their

duties, and to meet notithstanding any ad=ournment o) Parliament

An *versight 1ommittee may re8uest s&e$ialist o&inions or te$hni$al advi$e

in the )orm o) ritten or oral submissions )rom sour$es other than

Government of$ials in the &er)orman$e o) their )un$tions

In addition, an *versight 1ommittee may invite u& to three &ersons )rom

the $ivil so$iety, &ro)essional or a$ademi$ se$tors ho in the o&inion o) the

1ommittee are leaders in their elds o) e5&ertise, to a$t as >esour$e

Persons to the 1ommittee and to &arti$i&ate in the &ro$eedings o) the

1ommittee in$luding deliberationsMProvided su$h >esour$e Persons shall not en=oy voting rights in 1ommitteeProvided also that an *versight 1ommittee shall seek the &rior a&&roval o)the '&eaker in e5tending invitations to >esour$e Persons to serve in su$h1ommittee, but the $hoi$e o) &ersons shall be at the sole dis$retion o) the


19/19

1ommittee

6very *versight 1ommittees and every 'ub-1ommittee shall $ondu$t their

hearings in &ubli$MProvided that an *versight 1ommittee shall de$ide to $ondu$t deliberationsin &rivate and shall have due regard to the &ubli$ interest in re$ording

$ondential in)ormation'tanding *rder #.hree members o) an *versight 1ommittee shall be the 8uorum and it shallbe the duty o) the 1hairman o) su$h *versight 1ommittee, not to )un$tionithout the re8uired 8uorum'ummary o) >e$ommendations re 'tanding *rders 0O to #A

'tanding *rders 0O, 0!, and 0# to be deleted and substituted as

&ro&osed above

'tanding *rders 0, J and O to be amended as &ro&osed above

Amending 'tanding *rder O re8uires $onse8uent amendment to 'tanding*rder J0 @OC and &arti$ularly to 'tanding *rder J0A @iC regarding General

>ules )or 1ommittees

'tanding *rder # to be $laried as &ro&osed above

'tanding *rders 0, 0A, 0B, 0, 0!A, 0, , ", and #A

may,mutatis mutandis, remain1*%%I..66' D*> 'P61IA< P>P*'6''tanding *rder "!BM 1*%%I..66 * '.A..*>? I'.>%6.' A;1*'*e$ommendations re '&e$ial Pur&ose 1ommittees

Add 'tanding *rder "!B

Documents

Donoughmore, Bundestag, Westminster, Or ‘Yaha Paalanaya’ an Alternative Proposal for the Reform of the Parliamentary Committee System