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 and produce stronger reports that give a voice to marginalised groups. This session will explore the benefits of ensuring witness diversity as well as the importance of representative parliaments and in turn committees, and how this can increase the effectiveness and impact of committee work.
Speaker: Chloe Freeman, Committee Specialist, Women and Equalities Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament
13:50 - 14:00 Session 6: Feedback, Recap and Closing
The day will end with feedback from delegates on the content of the day, a brief recap of sessions and a look ahead at the final day of the programme.
Facilitator: Rahel Kibru, Programme Officer, CPA UK
14:00 End of Day 2
4 Day 3: Effective Committee Hearings Friday 9 October 2020
British High Commissioner’s Residence
TIME SESSION
11:45 Arrive at the British High Commissioners Residence, Runneymede, Main Hill Station Road 12:00 - 12:50 Session 7: Effectively Questioning Witnesses
This session will look at how committee Chairs can effectively communicate when leading members during evidence hearings. Speakers will touch on key aspects including teamwork and collaboration between members as well as the effective questioning techniques that can be employed with different types of witnesses to ensure committees are able to extract valuable and vital evidence for their inquiry.
Speaker: Rt Hon. the Lord Foster of Bath, House of Lords, UK Parliament
12:50 - 13:00 Break
13:00 - 14:00 Session 8: Virtual Committee Exercise
Committee Chairs will participate in a simulated evidence hearing in which the theoretical aspects of communicating effectively discussed in the previous session will be put into practice by questioning CPA UK staff members as witnesses.
Facilitated by a committee clerk, delegates will have the opportunity to provide feedback to colleagues on the questioning techniques used. This hearing will also give delegates the chance to further explore the opportunities and challenges around virtual committee proceedings. A full briefing on the committee exercise, including background information and suggested questions, is available on p. 6.
Facilitator: Stephen McGinness, Clerk, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament
14:00 - 14:20 Session 6: Feedback, Recap and Closing
In the final session of the programme, delegates have an opportunity to share feedback on the virtual programme to inform future activities and support CPA UK’s monitoring and evaluation of activities.
Facilitator: Rahel Kibru, Programme Officer, CPA UK
14:20 End of Day 3 End of programme
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 5 COMMITTEE EXERCISE BRIEFING
Committee Exercise: Introduction & Participants
Briefing Contents 1. Introduction 1. Introduction 2. Participants The aim of the committee exercise is to explore techniques of scrutiny by simulating an evidence 3. Running order session based on an inquiry conducted by the Defence Committee (report published July 2018). 4. Background information Participants will have the opportunity to put into practice strategies for a successful committee 5. Guidance on questions hearing, discuss and share good practice for effectively questioning witnesses and experience 6. Chair’s script virtual committee proceedings. 7. Suggested questions 7a. Witness 1 Two Chairs from the Parliament of Sierra Leone delegation will take turns to lead colleagues 7b. Witness 2 through the oral evidence hearing, and question two witnesses (played by CPA UK staff) for up to fifteen minutes each using suggested questions in this briefing. The facilitating Clerk, Stephen McGinness, will introduce the format and clarify parliamentary procedure for evidence sessions prior to the evidence hearing. In a short private meeting ahead of the evidence session Clerks from the Parliament of Sierra Leone will brief members on the inquiry, the Chair and Committee Members will discuss their strategy, and the Chair will allocate questions to each Member.
The Committee will take evidence from a practitioner and a civil servant on the extent of mental health issues in both serving armed forces personnel and veterans in the UK to ascertain the scope of the issue and support available to affected individuals and their families.
2. Participants
Facilitator: Stephen McGinness, Clerk, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, House of Commons
Committee Members: Hon. Alusine Kainde Alu Conteh MP, Chair of the Sports Oversight Committee Hon. Neneh Lebbie MP, Chair of the Committee on Fisheries and Marine Resources Hon. Edward George MP, Chair of the Committee on Works and Public Assets Hon. Dickson Momoh Rogers MP, Chair of the Committee on Transport and Aviation Hon. Catherine Zainab Tawarally MP, Chair of the Committee on Gender and Children’s Affairs Hon. Abdulai Daniel Sesay MP, Chair of the Human Rights Committee TBC Hon. Hindolo M. Gevao MP, Chair of the Legislative Committee
Observers: Mahmoud Barrie, Clerk to the Committee on Finance and Economic Development Mary Admire Massaquoi, Clerk to the Education Committee Mannah Berewa, Clerk to the Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Rahel Kibru, Programme Officer, CPA UK Felicity Herrmann, Africa Regional Programmes Manager, CPA UK
Witnesses: Sonu Masania, Charity Director, Veterans Aid (Charity that provides support and services to veterans in crisis) Josephine Jengo, Lead, Veterans Health and Wellbeing Team, Ministry of Defence
6 Committee Exercise: Running order & Background information
RUNNING ORDER
13:00 Facilitator’s briefing
Delegates to be briefed through the structure of the session by Stephen McGinness, Clerk, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, House of Commons, UK Parliament.
13:05 Private Meeting
Clerks from the Parliament of Sierra Leone will brief Members on the inquiry. Delegates to select two Chairs to lead on the separate questioning of two witnesses. The selected Chairs and delegates as Committee Members will discuss their strategy and allocate questions.
13:15 Evidence Session
The committee will question each witness for 15 minutes.
Evidence Hearing – Witness 1
Chair to open the hearing (script enclosed), introduce the inquiry and welcome the first witness.
13:30 Evidence Hearing continues – Witness 2
Second Chair to take position and welcome the second witness to the virtual hearing.
13:45 End of evidence session
13:45 Reflection
Delegates will participate in a guided reflection with feedback on the committee exercise facilitated by Stephen McGinness.
14:00 End of committee exercise
4. Background information
Mental health in the armed forces
• There has been an increasing focus on mental health over recent years across the UK Armed Forces. In its latest strategy published in July 2017—the ‘Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy’—the Ministry of Defence highlighted that this reflected the changing perceptions around mental health nationally, as well as the context of sustained operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• The Ministry of Defence (MoD) reports that assessments of personnel at MoD Specialist mental health services finding mental health disorders have risen steadily from 1.8% (5,118) of UK Armed Forces personnel in 2007/08, to 3.2% (6,137) in 2016/17.
• The MoD is not clear what proportion of this rise in mental health disorders is due to the success of anti-stigma campaigns, changes in detection rates and referral behaviour and what is a true rise in mental health disorders. However, it notes that there has also been an increase in rise of mental health disorders in the general population.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 7 Committee Exercise: Background information
• The MoD reports that the most common type of disorder presented (a third) are mood disorders, primarily depression.
• PTSD rates remain low at 0.2%, which represents 2 in 1,000 personnel assessed with the disorder in 2016/17.
• It is very difficult to determine the extent to which military service may have caused an individual’s mental health disorders, given the range of factors that may be involved. There is also insufficient research to help determine attribution – no indication of whether individuals, particularly those from a disadvantaged background, would have fared better or worse if they had not joined the military
• Where statistics are available, they do not suggest that there is a strong link. The number of compensation awards were relatively low, particularly post service claims. From 2005-13, 3,201 separate mental health awards were made to a total of 3,134 UK Armed Forces personnel and veterans with a Service attributable mental health disorder.
• Veterans’ Aid noted that, “Overwhelmingly, poverty is the single common factor as opposed to issues relating to service life. At Veterans Aid we routinely see are ex-servicemen and women suffering from poverty which engenders stress, anxiety and low mood related to societal rather than legacy ‘military’ issues.”
• There is general agreement across the evidence that military service is a positive experience for most. The Defence Committee received a number of written submissions indicated that military service can help mitigate against the onset of mental health disorders (e.g. through cohesion and good leadership; community and support network; comradeship, order and structure of service life)
• There has been little research on the mental health impacts of service on families, although the impact of service life on family is the main reason cited by service personnel for leaving the Armed Forces.
Veterans and mental health
• Data suggests an increase in the general population presenting mental health disorders for treatment. However, there is significantly morelimited data on veterans.
• NHS England statistics report that since 2013, annual referrals for veterans have increased from 16,055 in 2013/14 to 24,390 in 2016/17. In the provisional diagnosis assigned to the referral, anxiety and stress related disorders accounted for 36.8% of referrals over this period (versus 30.1% for non-veterans).
• In a 2015 study from Scotland, veterans were at 20% increased risk compared with the general population (5.0% of veterans had experienced at least one episode of mental health disorder of sufficient severity to warrant admission, compared with 4.5% of non-veterans)
• The charity Veterans Aid also reports that there has been an observed increase in numbers of Service personnel and veterans visiting Defence Medical Services, Service charities and the NHS for help with mental health problems. It considers that there may be several reasons for this: 1. True increase in rates of mental health problems 2. Modest success in reducing stigma associated with mental illness (reduced by about 5% since 2008) 3. Decrease in time taken to seek help (as reported by charities) 4. In-Service process changes have facilitated the referral process to DMS of patients with mental ill health
Early service leavers (ESLs)
• ESLs: those who have served for less than four years (voluntarily, compulsory discharged, or not completed minimum term). Written submissions consistently highlight this as a group that is more likely to show mental disorders.
• People who serve less than four years who are below the age of 24 have a suicide rate three times higher than their civilian counterparts, and their mental illness rates are also higher (Combat Stress) 8 Committee Exercise: Background information
• In a Scottish survey, those ESLs who left before completing initial training demonstrated the highest increase in risk, especially for PTSD where the untrained ESL had a 150% increase in risk compared with people who had never served
Women in the armed forces
• Forward Assist, a charity that focuses on female veterans, said “there is very little statistical data that accurately reflects the current level of mental health issues experienced by serving female personnel and women veterans”, which means they are a hidden population and may not be receiving provision of care that reflects their needs
Older veterans
• PTSD and depressive disorders may be risk factors for an increased risk of dementia. However, based on current research causality cannot yet be determined
• There is more limited data on the mental health of older veterans
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Overall prevalence for PTSD is 4% following deployment, broadly comparable to the general population (e.g. in a 2014 survey, 3.7% of men and 5.1% of women screened positive for PTSD, with 4.4% overall). However, a 2013 report by Veterans Aid suggested that those serving in the armed forces were more than twice as likely to have PTSD than the general population.
Common mental disorders (CMD, e.g. depression)
• Veterans and serving personnel in the armed forces are twice as likely to experience a number of mental health issues as the general public with 18% of men and 25% of women in the forces reporting symptoms of common mental health disorders compared to 8% and 12% respectively (2016 study). One possible explanation set out by MoD is that a clinician’s diagnostic habit is to assess UK Armed Forces personnel with a condition which is less serious.
Support for serving personnel
• The MoD is responsible for providing mental health care services to all serving personnel across the UK, including continuation of care for up to 6 months after discharge for those who leave.
• Serving personnel seeking mental health care will first be assessed at primary health care level (i.e. GPs). If their assessment requires it, they will then be referred for specialist mental health care. The MoD provides this through: • For outpatient care: 11 Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs), with an additional 9 sites providing some mental health services. • For inpatient care: Through a contracted-out service, which in the UK is provided by a consortium of eight National Health Service (NHS) trusts. • The MoD also contracted the Big White Wall to provide free 24/7 anonymous online support for all serving personnel, veterans, and their families. • The Secretary of State for Defence announced on 25 February 2018 that the MoD is providing £50,000 annual funding to extend Combat Stress’ 24/7 mental health helpline to also cover serving personnel.
• The Forces in Mind Trust and the Directory of Social Change identified 76 armed forces charities that provide mental health support (7% of the total number of UK armed forces charities). About a third of the 76 were ‘primary’ providers, focused solely on mental health support.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 9 Committee Exercise: Guidance on questions
5. Guidance on questions
• Ask follow-up questions to clarify an answer or request further details
• Questions should be probing, not destructive; and incisive, but constructive
• Asking questions from a lay position is a strength, not a weakness
• Use TEDs PIE when asking questions:
o TEDs = tell, explain, describe, sketch
o PIE = precisely, in detail, exactly
• Watch out for these techniques to avoid answering a question:
o Bridging: Witness answers small part of the question (usually with a yes or no) and then redefines the question in their own terms to answer this instead. To avoid this ask a closed question.
o Flagging: Witness flags up something they want to be asked. Sometimes flagging might be useful other times it can be used to waste time – you will need to make a judgement.
o Hooking: Witness leaves out some enticing information, hoping to be asked about it. The aim is for it to appear the Member came up with the question themselves – again this could be useful or a way to detract from some important facts and move away from the current line of questioning.
10 Committee Exercise: Chair’s script
6. Chair’s script
When all are settled:
Chair: Order, order. We now begin the meeting of this Committee, at which we will be taking evidence on mental health issues in both serving armed forces personnel and veterans.
Please be courteous and fair to our witnesses, and direct questions through the Chair. I also remind members that we proceed by question and answer: We want to find out information and views from the witnesses, not take up time telling them our views.
Staff have prepared for us a brief with some suggested questions, grouped under three themes, plus some suggested supplementary questions. These are only suggested questions and you are free to ask others if you wish, but keep an eye on the clock and I want to keep the thematic structure of the brief.
I hope the session will take no longer than 15 minutes in total and I will be trying to keep us to time. I will try to be flexible if Members want to ask spontaneous supplementary or follow-up questions.
We are now ready to start. Please could the witness now be admitted to the call.
[Witness joins virtual proceedings]
Welcome to this evidence session. We are most grateful to you for attending to give us the benefit of your expertise on the subjects that are interesting this committee.
Do any members of the committee have any relevant financial interests to declare?
[To witness] Before we begin, can I ask that you introduce yourself formally for the record.
Then follow brief for questioning (enclosed).
At end:
If colleagues have no more questions, thank you very much for your evidence today, which will be very useful for this Committee in its future work on this subject and in drawing up a report and recommendations for action to the relevant authorities.
Order, order. The committee stands adjourned.
[Witness 1 to leave call] [Witness 2 to join call]
Chairs to rotate for second half of evidence hearing, welcome Witness 2 and open questioning.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 11 Committee Exercise: Suggested Questions
7. Suggested Questions
Below are suggested questions for each witness. Indented questions are follow-up or supplementary questions. The blank column can be used to allocate questions to the Chair and Members.
7a. Witness 1: Ms. Sonu Masania, Charity Director, Veterans Aid
Veterans Aid is a Charity that provides support and services to veterans in crisis.
Chair to welcome the witness and ask them to introduce themselves.
The armed forces and mental health
1 How far can we attribute the mental disorders found in serving personnel and veterans to their military service?
2 Does the military environment help prevent or worsen the development of mental health disorders? Available support and services
3 What are the key mental health services that your charity provides to veterans?
Of these services, which are also provided by the state?
4 In what areas would you say government investment is most urgently needed? Data and Information
5 Numbers of reported cases of mental health issues amongst service personnel and veterans are steadily increasing. Does this mean mental health awareness campaigns are working, or is reporting getting better?
6 How reliable are UK-wide statistics on mental health issues affecting serving personnel and veterans?
Are there any limitations to UK-wide statistics, for example how disorders are assessed in different locations?
How accurate are studies relying on symptoms being self-reported?
To what extent do you think that existing datasets under or over report mental health disorders as a result, for example if they rely on people coming forward to seek help and identify themselves as veterans? 7 Could you describe collaboration and data sharing between government and charities on the ground, for example with Veterans Aid?
Would a national database common to all providers and researchers be a good idea in helping with data sharing challenges?
Chair to thank the witness for their time and contribution. Witness to then leave the call.
12 Committee Exercise: Suggested Questions
7b. Witness 2 – Ms. Josephine Jengo, Lead, Veterans Health and Wellbeing Team, Ministry of Defence
Chair to welcome the witness and ask them to introduce themselves.
The armed forces and mental health
1 Three years since the publication of the Defence People Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, what progress has there been on its key objectives?
2 Which groups of service personnel are at higher risk of developing mental health disorders?
How does the Ministry of Defence cater for these groups?
Available support and services
3 What are the key state run mental health services available to veterans?
Having heard earlier about the services provided by charities, why does government rely on charities to provide vital services for service personnel and veterans?
4 There has been almost a doubling in mental health disorders amongst UK Armed Forces personnel between 2007/08 to 2016/17. How has the MoD reviewed resources and services in response to this for its next Strategy?
5 What factors has the MoD identified as preventing service personnel and veterans from accessing services and support?
How does the MoD plan to tackle these barriers to accessing services? Data and Information
6 Why are charities and academic studies reporting much higher rates of mental health disorders, especially PTSD in both serving personnel and veterans, than official departmental figures?
7 Could you describe collaboration and data sharing between government and charities on the ground?
On collaboration, how does the department ensure policies and campaigns are evidence-based?
Chair to thank the witness for their time and close the evidence hearing.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 13 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
The Baroness Barker Deputy Chairman of Committees, House of Lords
The Baroness Barker is the LGBT Spokesperson and Spokesperson for the Voluntary Sector for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords. She was created a Life Peer in 1999. After joining the Liberal Party in 1979 she chaired the Union of Liberal Students from 1982 to 1983. During the same year, she took membership of the Liberal Party National Executive. She became a member of the Federal Policy Committee in 1997, and was chair of the Liberal Democrat Federal Conference Committee. Outside of Parliament she runs a small consultancy which provides strategic business development support to charities, social enterprises and statutory authorities.
Ben Sneddon Senior Clerk, Petitions Committee, House of Commons
Ben has been Clerk of the House of Commons Petitions Committee since May 2019. He was previously Second Clerk to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and Clerk of the Regulatory Reform Committee. Prior to joining the House service, Ben was a career civil servant, advising Ministers and in the Department of Health, and the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Offices, on Parliamentary business, legislation and procedure. Between 2010 and 2013, Ben was a Private Secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons where he was responsible for Government proposals for Parliamentary reform including, in 2011, responsibility for the establishment and operation of the Government’s e-petition site.
Rt Hon. Hilary Benn MP Chair, Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union, House of Commons
Hilary is the Labour Member of Parliament for Leeds Central. Previously, he served as International Development Secretary, as a Minister in the Home Office, as Secretary of State at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as the Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, the Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and the Shadow Foreign Secretary. He was elected Chair of the Exiting the European Union Select Committee in October 2016.
Christian Matheson MP Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Christian has been the Labour Member of Parliament for City of Chester since 2015. He currently holds the position of Shadow Minister for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and is a member of the Speakers Committee on the Electoral Commission. He was a member of hte Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee from 2017 to 2018.
14 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Chris Shaw Clerk, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of Commons
Chris Shaw has been a Clerk in the House of Commons for 29 years. He has worked on a number of select committees, including Home Affairs, Defence, Science and Technology, and is currently Clerk of the Foreign Affairs Committee. Between 2000-9 he worked in both the Table and the Public Bill Offices. Chris has been heavily involved with international parliamentary assemblies in his capacity as UK Delegation Secretary to the Council of Europe, Western European Union, OSCE and NATO parliamentary assemblies and, from 2005-10, as Presidential Adviser to the NATO PA. From 2009-12 he served as Head of the Scrutiny Unit in the House of Commons. From 2012 to September 2015 he went on secondment to the Cabinet Office as the Parliamentary Adviser, working closely with the Leader of the House, the Whips and No. 10 on a range of parliamentary issues. In addition to these roles Chris has been involved in the development of senior management development programmes within the House. He is currently the lead official in the House for the Climate Change Citizens’ Assembly.
Sarah Champion MP Chair, International Development Committee, House of Commons
Sarah is the Labour Member of Parliament for Rotherham, having first been elected in 2012. Previously she has served as Shadow Home Office Minister and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. She was elected Chair of the International Development Committee in January 2020 and is also a member of the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. Before joining Parliament she was an advisor for the Arts Council of England, a Trustee and Chair of many arts and community organisations, and Chief Executive of a children’s hospice.
Alex Knight Senior Economist, Scrutiny Unit, House of Commons
Alex is a Senior Economist in the House of Commons Scrutiny Unit, providing specialist economic and financial support to Select Committees across the House of Commons with a focus on international economics and international trade. Previous parliamentary experience includes work as a Committee Specialist for the House of Commons Treasury Committee, Prior to his work in the Scrutiny Unit, Alex was a Manager in BDO’s International Institutions team where he managed value for money consultancy assignments for international donors. Alex also spent seven years working for the UK National Audit Office. Alex holds an MPhil in Development Economics from the University of Cambridge and a BA in Economics & Economic History from the University of York. He is also a Chartered Accountant and Associate of the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England & Wales.
Rebecca Usden Committee Specialist, International Development Committee, House of Commons
Rebecca Usden joined the House of Commons in April 2016 as a policy specialist with the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. She has been working for the International Development Committee (IDC) since 2018, managing Committee inquiries into preventing sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector and on UK aid for combatting climate change. Rebecca also sits on the committee for the workplace equality network ‘ParliGender’. In 2017/8 she led the House of Commons’ parliamentary strengthening project in the National Parliament of Myanmar. Prior to joining the House of Commons, Rebecca worked in the NGO sector. She holds a Masters in International Conflict Studies from Kings College London and a degree in Political Science from the University of Cambridge.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 15 SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES
Chloe Freeman Committee Specialist, Women and Equalities Committee, House of Commons
Chloe has worked in Parliament in a variety of roles for almost 7 years. Whilst working for the Select Committees, she has provided administrative and operational support to the Scottish and Welsh Affairs Committees, scrutinising the Withdrawal Agreement as a Committee Specialist for the Exiting the EU Committee and most recently the Women and Equalities Committee. As a Committee Specialist for Women and Equalities her focus is on the protected characteristics of Race and Religion or Belief. Prior to starting at Parliament, Chloe completed an undergraduate degree in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics and a postgraduate degree in Global Ethics and Human Rights from Kings College London.
The Rt Hon. the Lord Foster of Bath Member, Gambling Industry Committee, House of Lords
Lord Foster of Bath was the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Bath from 1992 until his retirement in 2015. During his time in the House of Commons he served on numerous committees including the Select Committee on Education. As well as serving as his party’s spokesperson on a range of issues he was a government Minister and government deputy chief whip. He joined the House of Lords in November 2015. He recently chaired the Select Committee on the Rural Economy and is currently a member of the Select Committee investigating the social and economic impacts of gambling as well as the EU International Agreements Sub-Committee.
Stephen McGinness Clerk, Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, House of Commons
Stephen is currently the clerk to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee, having previously served as the Senior Clerk of the Journal Office and Clerk to the Public Accounts Committee in the House of Commons. Stephen became the Head of the Information Office in the House of Commons in 2004. In 2011 he left that position to become Clerk of the Science and Technology Select Committee. In 2015 he had a six-month period as Second Clerk to the Liaison Committee. He holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Strathclyde and a PhD in Microbiology from Bangor University.
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Hon. Alusine Kainde Alu Conteh MP Chair, Sports Oversight Committee, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Conteh is a member of the All People’s Congress party and was first elected as an MP in 2018. He is currently Chair of the Sports Oversight Committee, and a member of the Local Government and Rural Development Committee and the Ethics Committee. Prior to becoming an MP, Hon. Conteh was a Councillor in the Freetown City Council for nine years, where he was appointed Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and supported the Council in the execution of its responsibilities around revenue collection. Hon. Conteh is the holder of a CAT (Certified Accounting Technician), a BA in Ministry (Theology), and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Education. He is a Deacon and also the Chairman of the Deacon and Elders Council in his church.
Hon. Neneh Lebbie MP Chair, Committee of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Lebbie became a Member of the Parliament of Sierra Leone in 2007. She is currently Chair of the Committee of Fisheries and Marine Resources. In 2004, Hon. Lebbie won a seat in the Local Government Elections, joining the Bo City Council as the first female Councillor in the chiefdom after winning the highest number of votes in the country. As Councillor she was Chairperson of the Education Committee and also a member of the Agriculture and Works Committees. Hon. Lebbie worked as a teacher for fourteen years and holds a Teachers Certificate and a Higher Teachers Certificate in Home Economics and Community Development Studies.
Hon. Edward George MP Chair, Committee on Works and Public Assets, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. George became a Member of Parliament in 2018, representing the Dasse in the Moyamba District Southern region of the country. He is currently Chair of the Committee on Works and Public Assets. He holds a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Applied Accounting from the Institute of Public Administration and Management, University of Sierra Leone (IPAM).
Hon. Dickson Momoh Rogers MP Chair, Committee on Transport and Aviation, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Rogers was elected as a Member of Parliament in 2012. He is currently Chair of the Committee on Transport and Aviation. Following his re-election 2018, he was appointed Chief Whip of the Parliament of Sierra Leone. Hon. Rogers holds a Bachelors’ degree in Tourism and Travel Communication from the University Arts London, College of Communication in the UK, and prior to becoming an MP he lectured at the School for Tourism for two years. Hon. Rogers is a member of a number of a parliamentary committees, including the Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources, the Committee on Health and Sanitation, the Committee on Primary and Secondary Education, and the Committee on Appointment and the Public Service and Security.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 17 DELEGATE BIOGRAPHIES
Hon. Catherine Zainab Tawarally MP Chair, Committee on Gender and Children’s Affairs, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Tawarally is an All Peoples Congress Party MP representing Makei City in Northern Sierra Leone. She is the Chair of the Committee on Gender and Children’s Affairs. She holds a certificate in ICT, a Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education, majoring in Linguistics and minoring in Literature. Hon. Tawarally’s hobbies include football and music.
Hon. Hindolo M. Gevao MP Chair, Legislative Committee, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Gevao is a Member of Parliament representing a constituency in the Eastern region of Sierra Leone. He is the Chair of the Legislative Committee. Hon. Gevao has been a legal practitioner for 17 years and serves as a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of Sierra Leone. Previously he has served as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, as well as the Vice President of the Sierra Leone Bar Association and as a member of the General Legal Council of Sierra Leone. He holds an LLB degree from the University of Sierra Leone, a post-graduate Diploma in International Trade Law from the University of Wales, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration with a major in Finance.
Hon. Abdulai Daniel Sesay MP Chair, Human Rights Committee, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Hon. Sesay is a Member of Parliament serving his second term, representing the constituency of Gbonkolenken. He currently serves as Chair of the Human Rights Committee and previously served as Chair of the Health Committee. Hon. Sesay studied medicine at the Adventist University of Malawi and has a Diploma in Clinical Medicine. He is the co-founder of Magbenteh Community Hospital and is the CEO of City Garden Clinic, a 64-bed capacity hospital.
Mahmoud Barrie Clerk, Committee on Finance and Economic Development, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Mahmoud is the Clerk to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance and Economic Development, House of Parliament. He holds a Bachelor of Social Science in Accounting and Finance from the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) in Finance. Prior to joining Parliament in 2015, Mahmoud worked as an accountant at a construction company. He enjoys sports, reading and listening to music.
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Mary Admire Massaquoi Clerk, Education Committee, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Mary is a committee clerk in the Parliament of Sierra Leone and has been attached to the Education Committee since May 2019. She holds a degree in Business Administration. Prior to joining Parliament, Mary worked in the Cooperate Banking Department at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank. She has also volunteered for the campaign against early marriage and advocates against early marriage in Sierra Leone by raising awareness for young girls and educating families against the practice.
Mannah Berewa Clerk, Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Parliament of Sierra Leone
Mannah is the clerk to Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and has over five years’ experience in parliamentary practice and procedure and managing committee inquiries. Prior to this Mannah was attached to the Committee on Appointment and the Public Service, in which he would advise the Chair and members on the suitability of Presidential nominees in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. In 2019 Mannah represented the Parliament of Sierra Leone at the United Nations General Assembly. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Management from the Institute of Public Administration and Management.
Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 19 GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CPA UK
Programme Attendance CPA UK is the largest and most active of the Delegates are expected to attend all sessions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s branches. programme. Located in and funded by the UK Parliament it supports and strengthens parliamentary democracy throughout Presentations the Commonwealth. CPA UK has a distinctive ability and Where visual presentations have been used throughout the capacity in this area given the ori-gins of CPA since its programme, CPA UK will send copies to participants after formation in 1911, and the UK Parliament’s propensity the programme. to evolve, develop, learn and inform. Peer to peer learning is central to CPA UK’s methodology; it designs Translation bespoke interactions between UK and Commonwealth The official language of the workshop will be English. There parliamentarians and officials enabling and facilitating will be no translation provided. knowledge-sharing to achieve improved parliamentary oversight, scrutiny and representation. Research & Reading During the course of the week delegates will be provided Vision. Inclusive, representative and transparent with material. In order to make the most of the programme, Commonwealth Parliaments; fully effective in enforcing these materials should be read and reviewed thoroughly in the accountability of the executive and representing the advance. interests and concerns of the electorate.
Contributions Purpose. To learn from and strengthen Commonwealth During the programme, participants may be invited to give parliaments to deliver effective oversight, scrutiny and speeches or presentations as part of the course. representation.
Dress Business dress is advised for all programme activities. CPA UK’s Strategic Objectives are:
Mobile Phones Objective 1. To strengthen parliamentary democracy Mobile phones should be on silent. Any mobile phone Being responsive to the complex challenges of Parliaments conversations, as well as extended conversations with and facilitating access to information and skills fellow delegates, should take place outside the programme venue. We will: • provide opportunities for UK parliamentarians to learn Twitter from Commonwealth peers CPA UK will be tweeting about the programme using • convene Commonwealth parliamentarians to increase @CPA_UK. We encourage delegates to join us. their capacity to hold governments to account and to effectively represent their electorates Respect • build knowledge within the Commonwealth parliamentary CPA UK is committed to maintaining an environment for community on issues of common interest and concern staff, delegates and all participants that is positive and free from all forms of harassment and discrimination. Any Objective 2. To link Westminster with the harassment and/or discrimination occurring in any CPA Commonwealth UK programme is unacceptable conduct and will not be Promoting collaboration, understanding and cooperation, tolerated. Firm and immediate action will be taken to protect emphasising its continuing relevance to future generations members of the CPA UK team, delegates and anyone else involved in programmes, if we find evidence of such We will: behaviour. Please report any such behaviour confidentially • play a leading role in CPA to the CPA UK member of staff involved in the programme • establish and strengthen networks across parliaments, or to CPA UK Chief Executive, Jon Davies, +44 207 219 6638, and beyond [email protected]. • engage young people in our work and vision
Feedback As indicators to determine if the programme’s outcomes Objective 3. To set and demonstrate high have been achieved and to seek continuous improvement, performance standards CPA UK will disseminate pre and post-assessment forms to Increasing the positive impact of all we do participants for feedback. All forms should be submitted to the Programme Manger in a timely manner. Data collated We will: from these forms will be for internal use only. • achieve value for money in the organisation and delivery of our activities • set and uphold high standards of behaviour • use evidence-based learning to improve what we do and how we do it
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Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 21 NOTES
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Parliament of Sierra Leone | Virtual Programme for Committee Chairs and Clerks | October 2020 23 CPA UK Westminster Hall London SW1A 0AA T: +44 (0)20 7219 5373 F: +44 (0)20 7233 1202 E: [email protected] W: www.uk-cpa.org
Registered Charity No. 1095118 Registered Company No. 4606846