SL Strengthening Parliamentary Oversight Committees Description of the IDF - Financed Components, Activities and Outcomes 1.0   Enhance the capacity of the committee secretariat An effective secretariat can greatly enhance the effectiveness of committee meetings, through screening of audit reports, suggesting a prioritized annual work plan, suggesting agendas for meetings, scheduling witnesses, arranging for expert submissions and testimonies, preparing briefing materials for members, following up on committee recommendations, and of course maintaining the minutes and publicizing the results of committee proceedings.  At present, the committee secretariat does not carry out all of these functions.  A consultant with experience in Parliamentary oversight committee secretariats shall be engaged to provide technical assistance in enhancing the capacity of the committee secretariat. Outcome: Effectively functioning committee secretariat. 1.1   Assess current committee secretariat functions Compare committee secretariat practices to best practices in other jurisdictions and develop recommendations and priorities to enhance the functioning of the committee secretariat. Output: Diagnostic assessment of committee secretariat functions 1.2   Devise and apply new methodologies and procedures for committee secretariat staff Devise new procedures for screening audit reports, establishing work plans for the legislative session, and otherwise providing for more effective committee meetings.  Field test and provide on-the-job training in the application of the new procedures and document in a manual. Output: Committee secretariat procedures manual, trained secretariat staff 1.3   Develop committee secretariat ability to orient new committee members Develop orientation kits and presentations to assist the new Parliamentary oversight committee members following the formation of a new legislature in 2010.  Revise kits and orientation procedures based on experience in 2010. Output: Orientation kits for new Parliamentary oversight committee members 1.4   Share experiences with other Parliamentary oversight committee secretariats Network with peers in other jurisdictions through a legislative oversight community of practice.  Conduct meetings by VC and face to face. Output: Secretariat staff aware of regional best practices in legislative oversight. 2.0   Enhance the capacity of committee members Committee chairs determine the matters that will be discussed by the committee, and thus whether the committee will spend its time addressing trivial matters or issues of greater significance.  Committee members who do not fully appreciate the importance of Parliamentary oversight may be less inclined to attend meetings.  With 31 members each, the oversight committees may be unwieldy. All of these issues will be addressed by activities under this component of the project. Outcome: COPE and COPA members will attend and conduct more substantive committee meetings. 2.1   Conduct training for COPE and COPA members Provide training on the role of Parliamentary oversight committees and global best practices, with a view to developing priorities for improving committee effectiveness in Sri Lanka.  Introduce COPE and COPA members to the legislative oversight community of practice in order that they may exchange experiences with their peers. Outputs: Action plan setting out target achievements by Parliamentary oversight committees.  Study tour questions. 2.2   Conduct overseas study tours Identify overseas PAC meetings or relevant seminars for PAC members, to consider combining with a study tour to the PAC in that country.  Provide for attendance by the Chairs, active members and secretariat staff of COPE and COPA.  Prepare SMOs in advance of study tours and BTORs with action plans following study tours. Output: Study tour reports. 2.3   Explore practicality of forming Parliamentary oversight sub-committees Discuss with Chairs the desirability and practicality of forming sub-committees to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of committee work, as well as interest for committee members.  Prepare necessary amendments to Rules of Procedure or conduct other work as required in order to implement. Output: More and/or more substantive Parliamentary scrutiny. 3.0   Enhance public access to information about Parliamentary oversight committees The ultimate impact of Parliamentary oversight committees is greatly affected by the degree to which committee proceedings and recommendations are made public.  Activities in this component of the project will enhance the transparency of Parliamentary oversight committee work. Outcome: Public obtains and uses information about Parliamentary oversight committees. 3.1   Update and maintain website of Parliamentary oversight committee reports Post all reports to date on the Parliamentary website.  Maintain on a current basis, together with timetable for upcoming committee meetings. Output: Up to date website 3.2   Enhance media relations Review current methods of providing the media with information about committee proceedings.  Prepare media releases and conduct media briefings on a regular basis. Output: Media releases 3.3   Publish minutes of committee meetings. Determine reasons for discontinuing the practice of publishing the minutes and verbatim record of proceedings (Hansard) of committee meetings.  Take action as appropriate to reinstate the former practice.  Maintain reporting on Parliamentary website on a current basis. Output: Published minutes and Hansard of Parliamentary oversight committee meetings. 3.4   Explore the practicality of opening committee meetings to the public Research current interpretations of the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act and of the Standing Orders of Parliament to clarify which meetings must be held in camera (ie, meetings to prepare the committee reports to Parliament) and which may be held in public (ie, meetings to review the reports of the Auditor General).  Determine practices in other jurisdictions.  Conduct seminars with stakeholders to discuss the desirability of updating practices in Sri Lanka. Output: Clarification of the need to conduct Parliamentary oversight committee meetings in public and in camera. The objective of the grant is to strengthen the effectiveness of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) and the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) by i) enhancing the capacity of the committee secretariat to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of committee meetings, ii) enhancing the capacity of committee members to attend and conduct more substantive committee meetings, and iii) enhancing public access to information about Parliamentary oversight committees.