Mr Fred Smith
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0806REP/WESTSEM2013 62nd WESTMINSTER SEMINAR ON PARLIAMENTARY PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE | 17-21 JUNE 2013 REPORT 1. BACKGROUND 2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES 3. SUMMARY AND DETAILS 3.1. PLENARY SESSIONS 3.2. WORKSHOP SESSION 3.3. SPLIT MEMBER/CLERK SESSIONS 3.4. CONSTITUENCY VISITS 3.5. SUPPORTING EVENTS 4. OUTCOMES 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ANNEX A – PROGRAMME IN BRIEF ANNEX B – PROGRAMME IN FULL ANNEX C – WORKSHOP SESSION CASE STUDY ANNEX D – DELEGATES ANNEX E – FEEDBACK REPORT 1 1. BACKGROUND 1.01. CPA UK held its 62nd Westminster Seminar on Parliamentary Practice and Procedure at the Houses of Parliament over the period 17-21 June 2013. This year’s Seminar was CPA UK’s largest annual event to date, attended by 83 delegates from 42 legislatures. 1.02. The annual Westminster Seminar is designed to enhance and strengthen the expertise of participants while simultaneously strengthening links between parliaments across the Commonwealth. 1.03. The Seminar forms an important part of CPA UK’s international parliamentary outreach, particularly in the areas of professional development for parliamentarians and parliamentary staff, and in building parliamentary partnerships. 2. AIM AND OBJECTIVES 2.01. Aim. The aim of the seminar was to explore parliamentary practice and procedure within a Westminster-style framework in order to enhance the capacity of participating parliamentarians and clerks. 2.02. Objectives for parliamentarians: To explore through briefings, discussion sessions and practical observation: a. The role of Parliament in holding the Executive to account. b. The role of opposition parties and cross-party relations. c. Party discipline and transparency. d. The role of a second chamber and bicameralism. e. The relationship between Parliament and the media. f. Representation and the role of the MP in the constituency. g. The management and administration of Parliament including the work of the Speaker/Presiding Officer, the Commission and Members’ services. 2.03. Objectives for Clerks. To explore through briefings, discussion sessions and practical observation: a. The role of Parliament in holding the executive to account. b. The role of the Committee Clerk. c. Member/Clerk relations. d. The Scrutiny Unit. e. The Journal Office. f. Providing procedural and legal advice to Members. g. Representation and the role of the MP in the constituency. 2 h. The management and administration of Parliament including the work of the Speaker/Presiding Officer, the Commission and Members’ services. 3. SUMMARY AND DETAILS 3.01. CPA UK’s 62nd Westminster Seminar took the Westminster parliamentary model as a starting point for discussions in a detailed course designed to enhance the capacity of delegates to work more effectively in their legislatures. 3.02. The programme consisted of all-group plenary sessions, a workshop session using a hypothetical case study, split sessions for Members and Clerks, and observation visits to UK Members’ constituencies. 3.1. PLENARY SESSIONS 3.11. Over the course of the Seminar week plenary sessions explored core subjects around the legislative process and the workings of Parliament, bicameralism, the role of the Speaker, parliamentary administration, the committee system, devolution, and electoral systems. Delegates heard from senior and highly experienced UK legislators including the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon. John Bercow MP, the Lord Speaker, Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG, Joint Presidents of CPA UK, and Rt Hon. Andrew Lansley CBE MP and Angela Eagle MP, Leader and Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. 3.12. This year’s programme also included topical subjects such as women in parliament in a session with Mary Macleod MP, PPS to the Secretary of State for Culture, Media & Sport and Minister for Women & Equalities, Rt Hon. Baroness Hayman GBE, former Lord Speaker, and Rt Hon. Baroness Royall of Blaisdon, Shadow Leader of the House of Lords; and standards and privileges in a session featuring Rt Hon. Kevin Barron MP, Chair of the Standards and Privileges Committees, Kathryn Hudson, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Eve Sampson, the Clerk of the Standards and Privileges Committees, and Greg Hands MP, a senior Government Whip. 3.13. Excellent participation by Members and Officials from across the UK Parliament, as speakers and session chairs, ensured informed, lively and pertinent discussions. The enthusiastic contribution of delegates was central to the Seminar’s success and this occurred throughout the programme. 3.14. The strengthening of links between parliaments across the Commonwealth was achieved through bringing together delegates from diverse cultures and regions, working towards a common aim, and giving space and opportunities for formal and informal discussion and networking. 3.2. WORKSHOP SESSION 3 3.21. For the first time in the Seminar’s history, the programme this year included a workshop session on the Committee System. The delegation split into five groups of Members and two groups of Clerks to examine a hypothetical case study relating to a committee enquiry. The session provided delegates with an opportunity to discuss amongst themselves the role of parliamentary committees and think through how they would address the hypothetical case study as a committee member. The aim of the session was to encourage delegates to generate practical solutions for dealing with problems facing Committees in becoming more efficient and effective. 3.22. Once assembled into their groups, delegates were asked to appoint a Chair to oversee discussions and a rapporteur to report back to the plenary an explanation of what their group would do to address questions posed in the case study. 3.23. The case study session worked very well with delegates taking the opportunity to share experiences from their home legislatures within the informal setting of a small group. 3.24. The case study used at the workshop session is included at Annex C. 3.3. SPLIT MEMBER/CLERK SESSIONS 3.31. Sessions exclusively for Members explored themes around the role of an MP, the role of an opposition, party discipline within Parliament, the role of the Leader of the House, the role of the media in parliamentary oversight, and broadcasting Parliament. 3.32. Sessions exclusively for clerks explored themes around running a committee, Member/clerk relations, the scrutiny unit, the journal office, and legal services and Speaker’s counsel. 3.33. Dividing Members and Clerks into separate sessions enabled delegates to speak candidly with their peers about issues facing them in their parliamentary work. 3.4. CONSTITUENCY VISITS 3.41. On the final day of the Seminar delegates had the opportunity to spend a morning with a UK Member of Parliament in their constituency. These visits gave delegates a unique insight into the workings of a constituency office and an opportunity to discuss with UK colleagues how Members can manage the concerns of constituents alongside their parliamentary duties. The visits were a valuable inclusion in the programme, by introducing context and perspective, and helping delegates to understand the real challenges and issues faced by MPs in the UK. 3.42. Visits were held in the following constituencies: - Mr David Evennett MP – Bexleyheath and Crayford 4 - Ms Sarah Teather MP – Brent Central - Ms Mary Macleod MP – Brentford and Isleworth - Mr Greg Hands MP – Chelsea and Fulham - Mr Virendra Sharma MP – Ealing Southall - Rt Hon. Stephen Timms MP - East Ham - Mr Andy Love MP – Edmonton - Ms Seema Malhotra MP - Feltham and Heston - Ms Siobhain McDonagh – Mitcham and Morden - Mr Andrew Rosindell MP - Romford 3.43. The visits provided an opportunity for discussion on the following subjects: - History, current issues and future plans - Staff and resources in the constituency and office accommodation - The MP’s relationship with the local authorities in the constituency - How casework is handled and how decisions are made on which cases to adopt - What an MP can do to raise a constituent’s case - Problems faced in the constituency and how they are being dealt with - How an MP splits their time between their constituency and Westminster - Discuss current major issues 3.5. SUPPORTING EVENTS 3.51. Supporting events included a welcome reception hosted by the Clerk of the House of Commons, a reception at Marlborough House hosted by the Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Mmasekgoa Masire-Mwamba, and lunch in Speaker’s House hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP. 4. OUTCOMES 4.01. The Seminar aim and objectives were achieved and the feedback from delegates demonstrated that they achieved a greater depth of knowledge of parliamentary practice and procedure. 4.02. The seminar continues to be a relevant and useful programme for new parliamentarians and clerks. 4.03. The full feedback report is included at Annex E. 5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5.01. CPA UK acknowledges with thanks the wide-ranging support and assistance of Members, Clerks, Officers and officials of the House of Commons and House of Lords in contributing to the logistics and content of the Seminar. 5 5.02. Particular thanks are due to the hosts of the supporting events and to the Members of the House of Commons who hosted visits by delegates to their constituencies and their staff who organised the constituency-based programmes. 6 ANNEX A – PROGRAMME IN BRIEF MONDAY 17 JUNE 0900 - 1000 Seminar welcome and introductions 1000 - 1100 Session 1: Introduction to the UK Parliament 1115 - 1215 Session 2: The legislative process 1315 - 1415 Session