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PROGRAMME SIERRA LEONE - VIRTUAL PROGRAMME FOR COMMITTEE CHAIRS & CLERKS 5, 7, 9 OCTOBER 2020 2 CONTENTS BACKGROUND 1 IMPACT, OUTCOMES & OUTPUTS 2 GENERAL INFORMATION 2 PROGRAMME 3 COMMITTEE EXERCISE BRIEFING 6 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES 14 DELEGATE BIOGRAPHIES 17 ABOUT CPA UK 20 NOTES 21 BACKGROUND Welcome to the virtual programme for committee Chairs and clerks from the Parliament of Sierra Leone, facilitated by CPA UK from 5 – 9 October 2020. This three half-day virtual programme will focus on the roles of Chairs and clerks in effectively running parliamentary committees, and the key skills and techniques used during inquiries. This programme is part of CPA UKs parliamentary partnership programme with the Parliament of Sierra Leone to help strengthen a more effective, accountable and inclusive parliament. CPA UK has held a number of capacity-building activities over the past few years, including a Post-Election Seminar to train newly elected parliamentarians in 2018 and a Committee Scrutiny Workshop held in Freetown in 2019. In addition, CPA UK and the Parliament of Sierra Leone published a Vision for the Future, in which staff presented their vision for the new Parliament, and the necessary actions of Members and staff to ensure a strong and robust Parliament. Building on this work, this programme will bring together seven Chairs and three committee clerks to further the skills and capacity of participants in running efficient and effective committees. Delegates will have the opportunity to hear from Members, peers and clerks from the UK Parliament on the UK select committee system, and compare approaches taken at the Parliament of Sierra Leone and the UK Parliament respectively. Speakers and participants will share good practice, common challenges and solutions, and new ways of working necessitated by the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Hosted in Freetown in collaboration with the British High Commission, this programme aims to strengthen the existing relationship between the UK Parliament and the Parliament of Sierra Leone and continues CPA UK’s support to parliamentarians and clerks in ensuring committees’ capacity to provide effective scrutiny through their inquiries. 1 IMPACTS, OUTCOMES & OUTPUTS Impact. The Parliament of Sierra Leone is more inclusive, transparent and accountable, particularly with regards to the efficiency and effectiveness of committees. Output 1. A three half-day virtual programme successfully delivered to committee chairs and clerks from the Parliament of Sierra Leone. Output 2. Seven committee Chairs and three clerks have strengthened their skills and capacity within their respective roles in order to ensure effective parliamentary scrutiny through committee inquiries. Outcome 1. Increased mutual understanding between the UK Parliament and the Parliament of Sierra Leone on procedures of the committee systems and good practice within these. Outcome 2. Improved relations between the two Parliaments, through discussions and meetings between members and clerks. Monitoring and evaluation. As part of CPA UKs monitoring and evaluation process, delegates will be asked to complete pre- and post-assessment forms at the start and end of the programme. Indicators in the feedback are used to determine whether programme outcomes have been achieved. All data collected is strictly for internal use only and assists CPA UK in planning future activities. GENERAL INFORMATION Venue Delegates will be hosted at the Residence of the British High Commissioner, located at Runneymede, Main Hill Station Road, Freetown. Please arrive at 11:30 am to ensure a prompt start on Monday 5 October. Remaining Covid-19 Secure Delegates are requested to wear a facemask for the duration of their time in the Residence. Social distancing measures will also be in place, with guidance given by High Commission staff. Virtual Guidelines Participants are asked to kindly turn off mobile phones during the programme. Although discussions will be held virtually, participants are encouraged to interact with speakers throughout meetings, in particular during question and answer sessions. Photographs and Recordings Throughout the programme photographs may be taken of ongoing sessions, for use on CPA UK’s social media platforms. As the programme will include CPA UKs first virtual committee exercise, this practical session will be recorded for internal evaluation purposes. Twitter CPA UK will be tweeting about the programme using @CPA_UK. We encourage delegates to join us. PROGRAMME PARTNERS & SUPPORTERS 2 PROGRAMME Day 1: The Westminster Committee System Monday 5 October 2020 British High Commissioner’s Residence TIME SESSION 11:30 Arrive at the British High Commissioners Residence, Runneymede, Main Hill Station Road 11:50 - 12:10 Welcome Delegates will be welcomed by the British High Commission and CPA UK. Speakers: Alistair White, British Deputy High Commissioner to Sierra Leone Jon Davies, Chief Executive, CPA UK 12:10 - 13:00 Session 1: Overview of the UK Parliament and Committee System This first session of the programme will begin with introductions from delegates from the Parliament of Sierra Leone and the CPA UK team, as well as an outline of the virtual programme for the week. This session will provide a brief introduction to the Westminster system, with a particular focus on the different types of committees in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as the changes to parliamentary procedure during the Covid-19 pandemic, including the introduction of a virtual parliament. Speakers: The Baroness Barker, Deputy Chairman of Committees, House of Lords, UK Parliament Ben Sneddon, Senior Clerk, Petitions Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament 13:00 - 13:10 Break After the break, Committee Chairs and clerks will be split into two rooms for the following session. 13:10 - 13:55 Session 2a: Responsibilities of Committee Chairs This session will explore the roles and responsibilities of a committee Chair. Speakers and delegates will be able to compare and contrast their approaches to chairing committees and balancing key responsibilities, sharing best practice as well as exploring common challenges. Looking at their influential role and leadership in inquiries, the discussion will explore how Chairs can be most effective in their role and foster productive relationships with fellow members and support staff. Speakers: Rt Hon Hilary Ben MP, Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union, House of Commons, UK Parliament Christian Matheson MP, Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport 13:10 - 13:55 Session 2b: The Role of Committee Clerks In this session for clerks, the discussion will focus on the role of a committee clerk and outline the responsibilities in supporting committees and their inquiries in the UK, identifying differences and similarities between the two Parliaments. The discussion will also explore approaches from the UK Parliament, such as the use of Standards of Service, in promoting effective working relationships between committee clerks and Chairs. Speaker: Chris Shaw, Deputy Principal Clerk and Clerk of the Foreign Affairs Committee, House of Commons 13:55 - 14:10 Session 3: Feedback, Recap and Closing In this session Chairs and clerks will reconvene to share their thoughts on building productive working relationships, in order to effectively conduct committee business. The day will end with a brief feedback session and a look ahead at the second day of the programme. Facilitator: Rahel Kibru, Programme Officer, CPA UK 14:10 End of day 1 Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 3 Day 2: Cross-Party Consensus and Diversity Wednesday 7 October 2020 British High Commissioner’s Residence TIME SESSION 11:45 Arrive at the British High Commissioners Residence, Runneymede, Main Hill Station Road Committee Chairs and clerks will be split into two rooms for the following session. 12:00 - 12:50 Session 4a: Committee Consensus and Cross-Party work The second day of the programme will commence with a session exploring how committee Chairs can build consensus and cohesion amongst members and promote cross-party working to support the effective running of a committee inquiry. Delegates will also discuss how to ensure evidence before the committee is carefully considered, without party politics impeding strong evidence-based recommendations. Speaker: Sarah Champion MP, Chair, International Development Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament 12:00 - 12:50 Session 4b: Producing Impactful Reports In this session, clerks will explore what makes an inquiry report impactful, and compare the role of the clerk in the Parliaments of the UK and Sierra Leone in preparing these. The discussion will emphasise the importance of making realistic, specific, and time-bound recommendations to government, as well as the role of national media in publicising inquiry findings to the wider public. Speakers: Rebecca Usden, Senior Committee Specialist, House of Commons, UK Parliament Alex Knight, Senior Economist, Scrutiny Unit, House of Commons, UK Parliament 12:50 - 13:00 Break After the break, Chairs and clerks will reconvene in the same room for the following session. 13:00 - 13:50 Session 5: Diversity and Inclusion in Committees Ensuring committees engage a range of organisations and witnesses that are representative of wider society is vital when making policy recommendations to government. In pushing for such diversity, committees can obtain quality evidence
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