Accountability and Scrutiny Act: 1787

## The Accountability and Scrutiny Act: 1787 – 11 Cel. I. c.1

Be it enacted by the King's Divine Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Councils of Nobles and of Ministers, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1ai)    The Government of the Kingdom of Pyrus needs to have greater scrutiny applied to it and greater accountability made for its actions.

1aii)   To this end the Leader of the Council of Ministers shall create Standing Committees of the Council of Ministers.

1bi)    Standing Committees shall consist of a Chairman and six appointed members.

1bii)   Initially the appointment of Standing Committee members shall be done by the Leader of the Council of Ministers, however he must appoint at least one Standing Committee Member from each political party represented in the Council of Ministers.

1biii)  Initially the Chairmen of Standing Committees shall be appointed by lot.  Each party shall submit a nominee and then one nominee shall be chosen as the Chairman of each Standing Committee.

1biv)  This process shall be used for all appointments when a new Standing Committee is created.

1ci)    Committee Members and Chairman are appointed for life so long as they remain members of the Council of Ministers.

1cii)   On the death or loss of a Committee Chairman or Committee Member the Leader of the Council of Ministers shall appoint a replacement.

1ciii)  In the case of the death or loss of a Committee Chairman the Leader of the Council must appoint the most senior member of the Committee as Chairman, and a new member to fill the empty place.

1di)    The Leader of the Council of Ministers may appoint whoever he wishes from the Council of Ministers to fill spaces on Standing Committees.

2ai)    One Standing Committee shall be created to scrutinise the work of each Council of government.

2aii)   One Standing Committee shall be created to scrutinise the operation of the Legislature and its members.  It will include three additional members from the Council of Nobles.  The Members from the Council of Nobles shall be appointed by the King or his representative.  It will be known as the Joint Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs.

2aiii)  Other Standing Committees may be created at the discretion of the Leader of the Council of Ministers.

2bi)    Standing Committee Chairmen may decide to divide their Standing Committee into Sub-Committees.

2bii)   Each Sub-Committee will meet during the time of the Standing Committee but there must be at least thirty minutes for the Chairmen of the Sub-Committees to meet with the Chairman of the parent Standing Committee.

2biii)  Each Sub-Committee shall have a Chairman appointed form the parent Standing Committee and four Sub-Committee Members.  The Sub-Committee Members shall be appointed by the Chairman of the parent Standing Committee.

2biv)  The remit of a Sub-Committee shall be decided upon by the parent Standing Committee Chairman.

2bv)   Sub-Committees can produce reports on their findings and have the same powers as Standing Committees, however their reports must be agreed to by the parent Standing Committee and presented to the Council of Ministers by the Standing Committee not the Sub-Committee.

3ai)    Each Standing Committee shall meet for at least thirty minutes each week while the Council of Ministers is in session.

3aii)   Standing Committees may require any one to appear before them and submit to questioning.

3aiii)  Standing Committees cannot require the monarch or the heir to the throne to appear before them for questioning.

3aiv)  No one is forced to appear before a Standing Committee, nor are they forced to respond to questions.  However failure to respond to questioning or to appear may result in criminal prosecution under Article 10ai) of the Crime & Punishment Act: 1783.

3bi)    Standing Committees may meet for no more than sixteen hours per week.

4ai)    The remit of each Standing Committee shall be determined by the Leader of the Council of Ministers.

4aii)   Having taken evidence and conducted research, Standing Committees must produce a report on their findings if they feel the matter is worthy of public consumption.

4aiii)  Whatever findings a Standing Committee makes they must be reported to the Council of Ministers.  In the case of the matter involving the Joint Standing Committee on Legislative Affairs and a member of the Council of Nobles then the report should also be made to the Council of Nobles.

Passed

Mr Ulm Tradanor – First Minister

For and on behalf of the Council of Ministers

Passed

His Imperial Highness, Celasin I the King of Pyrus

For and on behalf of the Council of Nobles

Signed

His Imperial Highness, Celasin I the King of Pyrus