Meeting of Pacific Public Accounts Committees

WORLD BANK GROUP GLOBAL GOVERNANCE PRACTICE

I M P R O V I N G P E R F O R M A N C E A N D S E T T I N G S T A N D A R D S

 BACKGROUND

March  2010  Interna'onal  Conference  on  Benchmarking  and  Self-­‐Assessment  for  Democra'c  Parliaments      GLOBAL  •  Inter-­‐Parliamentary  Union  (IPU)  •  UNDP  •  Commonwealth  Parliamentary  Associa>on  •  Na>onal  Democra>c  Ins>tute  for  Interna>onal  Affairs  (NDI)  •  Canadian  Parliamentary  Centre      COMMONWEALTH  •  Commonwealth  (La>mer  House)  La>mer  House  Guidelines  on  

Parliamentary  Sovereignty  and  Judicial  Independence    

 POSSIBLE  BENCHMARKS

   •  Organiza>on  

•  Powers,  func>ons  and  procedures  

•  Accessibility  and  transparency  

•  Rela>onships  with  Supreme  Audit  Ins>tu>on  (SAI)    

 ORGANIZATION

•  There  should  be  a  transparent  method  for  selec>ng  or  elec>ng  the  chairs  of  commiQees  

•  CommiQees  shall  have  the  right  to  consult  and/or  employ  experts    

•  The  legislature  should  have  an  adequate  non-­‐par>san  professional  staff  to  support  its  opera>ons  including  the  opera>ons  of  its  commiQees  

•  The  legislature  draws  and  maintains  a  clear  dis>nc>on  between  par>san  and  non-­‐par>san  staff  

•  Members  and  staff  of  commiQees  have  access  to  sufficient  research,  library,  and  ICT  facili>es  

 

 POWERS,  FUNCTIONS  AND  PROCEDURES

•  Adequate  advance  no>ce  of  mee>ngs  and  the  agenda  for  the  mee>ng  should  be  provided  

•  CommiQees  have  the  power  to  summon  persons,  papers  and  records,  and  this  power  shall  extend  to  witnesses  and  evidence  from  the  Execu>ve  branch,  including  officials  and  ministers  

•  Only  MPs  appointed  to  the  commiQee  should  have  the  right  to  vote  in  the  commiQee  

•  CommiQees  provide  meaningful  opportuni>es  for  opposi>on  par>es  to  engage  in  effec>ve  oversight  of  government  expenditures  

•  CommiQees  have  access  to  Execu>ve  branch  records  of  accounts  &  related  documenta>on  sufficient  to  be  able  to  meaningfully  review  the  accuracy  of  Execu>ve  repor>ng  on  revenues  and  expenditures  

 POWERS,  FUNCTIONS  AND  PROCEDURES

•  CommiQee  hearings  should  be  held  in  public  

•  The  record  of  votes  of  a  commiQee  should  be  a  public  document  

•  The  legislature  protects  informants  and  witnesses  presen>ng  relevant  informa>on  to  commiQee  inquiries  about  corrup>on  or  other  unlawful  ac>vity.  

•  Witnesses  should  have  the  protec>on  of  parliamentary  privilege  to  ensure  they  are  able  to  give  informa>on  to  the  commiQee  without  fear  of  legal  ac>on.  

 ACCESSIBILITY  AND  TRANSPARENCY •  Opportuni>es  should  be  given  for  public  input  into  commiQee  

inquiries  

 

•  Informa>on  is  provided  to  the  public  in  a  >mely  manner  regarding  maQers  under  considera>on  by  the  legislature  

•  CommiQees  promote  the  public’s  understanding  of  their  work  

•  CommiQee  members  should  be  required  to  disclose  relevant  business  interests  if  there  is  poten>al  for  a  perceived  conflict  of  interest  

•  The  legislature  should  have  a  non-­‐par>san  media  rela>ons  facility  

•  CommiQees  have  a  performance  measurement  system  to  assess  their  effec>veness  and  performance  

 RELATIONSHIPS  WITH  THE  SAI •  SAI  reports  should  be  tabled  in  the  legislature  in  a  direct  and  >mely  

manner  

•  The  PAC  ensures  that  the  SAI  shall  be  provided  with  adequate  resources  and  legal  authority  to  conduct  audits  in  a  >mely  manner  

•  The  commiQee  has  a  formal  procedure  for  following  up  on  its  recommenda>ons