COMMITTEE STRENGTHENING PROGRAMME, PARLIAMENT OF SRI LANKA REPORT SUMMARY 18-21 FEBRUARY 2019 PROGRAMME BACKGROUND CPA UK, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), and the Parliament of Sri Lanka have worked closely together in recent years and have successfully delivered a number of capacity building programmes on the subject of oversight committees in conjunction with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. Following the general elections in August 2015, the Leadership of the Parliament of Sri Lanka prioritised reforms including the establishment of a Departmental Sectoral Oversight Committee System to enhance the ability of Parliament to hold the Government to account. Impact: Developing Commonwealth countries CPA UK supported these reforms with a workshop on Sectoral Oversight Committees in February strengthen democratic 2016 in partnership with the Parliament of Sri Lanka and WFD. This activity was particularly well good governance. received and provided a platform for the exchange of knowledge and good practice between UK and Sri Lankan Members and Clerks. Outcome: Parliaments in priority Commonwealth CPA UK and WFD delivered two more programmes for Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) Chairs countries adopt more in October 2016 and January 2017 and most recently ran a programme with the Committee on inclusive and accountable Public Enterprises in February 2018. These week-long programmes introduced the SOC Chairs practices and policies, to select committees in the UK and through interactions with UK Members, aimed to build the particularly with regard capacity of Committee Chairs and senior parliamentary officials. to women’s political participation. In October 2018, as part of the Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy (see below), CPA UK and WFD delivered a programme for Members of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to Programme purpose: explore a range of issues relating to public financial oversight. This provided an opportunity for UK To explore the value and Sri Lankan members to share good practice and experiences. of openness and transparency in committee This programme is the next part of the Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy project. work in the Parliaments of Sri Lanka and the UK with the aim of adopting more inclusive and accountable practices. Programme Outcomes: Through meetings, discussions, workshops and briefings with Sri Lankan and UK parliamentary The UK delegation (left to right): Nigel Evans MP, Sarah Giles, Susie Latta, Margaret McKinnon, The counterparts, delegates Rt Hon. Baroness D’Souza CMG, Lilian Greenwood MP, and participants will: Jakko Virkkunen Outcome 1: Identify ways to make committees more Advancing Inclusive & Accountable open, accountable and Democracy in the Commonwealth inclusive; Outcome 2: Advance improved capacity to communicate committee business to the media, civil society, NGOS and further diverse audiences; Outcome 3: share experience between CPA UK Westminster Hall, Houses of Parliament, London SW1A 0AA women politicians to find T: +44 (0)20 7219 5373 F: +44 (0)20 7233 1202 E: [email protected] www.uk-cpa.org Registered Charity No.1095118 | Registered Company No. 4606846 @CPA_UK ways to increase women’s political participation and representation. Outputs To achieve the above outcomes, the programme will produce the following outputs: Output 1: 30 clerks have attended meetings and have a better understanding of the benefits and processes of public engagement and outreach. Output 2: 15 members have met with the delegation and have a better understanding of the benefits and processes of public engagement and The UK delegation discussed strengthening Sectoral Oversight Committees with Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa outreach. MP, Leader of the Opposition Output 3: A diverse and inclusive programme reaching Overview a range members and clerks, The role of the chair was discussed and an particularly women. The new sectoral oversight committees effective chair was agreed to be crucial to the Output 4: A report has been (SOC) in the Parliament of Sri Lanka have functioning of a committee. Chairs get to set produced summarising the been championed by some chairs and the the agenda for the committee and can programme. new format has been challenged by others. encourage cross party working, which Members of this delegation met with members makes the committee stronger. Engaging and clerks to talk about the implementation of with the media and securing media coverage COMMONWEALTH the recently established SOCs. They wanted to can also strengthen the committee. PARTNERSHIP FOR understand what is working and the challenges DEMOCRACY (CP4D) facing committee chairs and members. The From a clerk’s perspective, Margaret McKinnon, delegation particularly wanted to talk about Clerk to the Northern Ireland Select Committee, The Commonwealth involving the public and media to increase talked about the role of the committee Partnership for Democracy the profile and impact of the committees. secretariat, particularly around public outreach (CP4D) is a UK Government The delegation was keen to hear from women and the importance of political impartiality. funded programme intended chairs, members and clerks but opportunities The importance of dedicated clerks cannot be to work with parliaments in 18 to do so were limited within this programme. underestimated. The Secretary General detailed Commonwealth Member States CPA UK is keen to ensure women chairs and the progress that has been made towards across Sub-Saharan Africa and members are engaged for the next phases of ensuring that the SOCs have enough support Asia to improve representation the programme. and office space to do their work properly. The of women, young people, SOCs now have guidelines, designed with people with disabilities and The Role of Clerks in Supporting Westminster Foundation for Democracy the LGBT+ community in the Committees (WFD), which provide an excellent basis democratic process. CP4D will for committees to conduct their meetings. support parliaments and local In a meeting with clerks of the parliament, the governments to monitor the Secretary General detailed how the Parliament Change is ever-present in parliamentary actions of their executive. has changed, with strengthened oversight democracies and Nigel Evans MP looked at the capacity. The SOCs were modelled on UK select changes that had taken place over the 27 years The £4m two-year programme committees to give more powers to committees he has served as a MP. was launched at the 2018 to scrutinise government policy and legislation. London meeting of Staffing support for the committees is being The broad range of witnesses called and Commonwealth Heads of developed and the aim is to have a dedicated committee travel out of parliament give Government. It is managed team of people supporting each committee. different perspectives. SOCs in Sri Lanka now by the UK Foreign and Clerks need a range of support but particularly call a range of witnesses. An example given was Commonwealth Office need the skills to harness new technology such the International Relations Committee which (FCO) and implemented by as social media for the benefit of the committee. called witnesses from NGOs and civil society Westminster Foundation for in its pre-legislative scrutiny of the Counter Democracy (WFD) in Baroness D’Souza discussed the role of select Terrorism Bill. partnership with the committees in the UK and how they contribute Commonwealth Parliamentary to the wider functions of parliament, to hold the One of the challenges of requesting submissions Association (secretariat government to account and raise the concerns of evidence from the public can be the volume and UK branch) and the of the electorate. Lilian Greenwood MP, Chair of information received. Margaret McKinnon Commonwealth Local of the UK Transport Select Committee, detailed detailed her approach to sorting evidence to Government Forum. the format and function of select committees. ensure it is relevant and legal. This can be a long Her committee has a work plan of inquiries to administrative job but is important. CP4D activities will be scrutinise the Department of Transport and implemented at the its agencies, as well as inquiries into emerging Ensuring maximum impact for the work of regional level and with all issues such as implementation of a new railway a parliamentary committee can be done in Commonwealth members timetable change, which experienced difficulties several ways, through public hearings and by in 2018, leaving many trains cancelled. publicising the work in traditional print and CP4D REPORT | Committee Strengthening Programme, Parliament of Sri Lanka |2 broadcast media or through social media. Sumanthiran MP (TNA), Hon. Vijitha Herath MP to help raise standards and Chairs and members can also use time in (JVP), Hon. Douglas Devananda MP (EDPD) and build political commitment the Chamber to raise issues. Reports can Hon. Mayantha Dissanayake MP (UNP). to democratic values. The be presented in simple language and easy- 2012 Commonwealth Charter to-read formats to ensure as many people House of Commons committee chairs and commits governments, political read them as possible. In the UK the media members highlighted the importance of a parties and civil society generally like the select committees and their strong chair and the strength they get from organisations in member cross-party approach means they are seen as election by their peers. The committee also states to uphold and promote independent