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Parliamentary Scrutiny

24th February 2010

10th June 2010

 Chartered Management Institute logo This course forms part of a CMI Certificate in Leadership and Management

A comprehensive overview of the scrutiny functions of Parliament, the roles of backbenchers, independents, smaller parties and the official Opposition, how Government is scrutinised by Parliament and other independent bodies, the functions of committees and scrutiny of Parliament by outsiders

Learning Objectives

  • Understand all the methods that Parliament uses to hold the Executive to account
  • Understand how Government has to respond to the different methods of scrutiny
  • Understand the influence in scrutiny of backbenchers and the Opposition
  • Gain a greater understanding of the scrutiny role of Select Committees in Parliament, and their influence on Government policy and decisions
  • Learn about the stages of a committee inquiry, including topic selection, conducting the inquiry, producing a report, Government’s response, debates, evaluation
  • Understand what the different bodies are that audit central and local Government and how they operate
  • Understand how a bill is scrutinised as it proceeds through Parliament , and the role of pre-legislative scrutiny by committees
  • Understand the remit and work of House of Lords committees
  • Understand how Parliament itself is regulated and how this scrutiny in likely to evolve in the light of recent events

Programme (24th February 2010)

9:15
Registration
9:50
Chair's Introduction
10:00
The Audit of Government
National Audit Office, Public Accounts Committee
11:00
Morning Coffee
11:15
The Scrutiny Role of Backbenchers in the Commons and the Lords
PQs, Debates, Adjournments
11:45
The Roles of the Official Opposition and the Smaller Parties
Debates, Ministerial statements, Opposition days, scrutiny in parliamentary stages of a Bill
12:15
The Role of Committees
  • Different types of committee
  • Standing committees and legislation (Public Bills Committees)
  • Select committees and pre-legislative scrutiny
  • Public administration select committee: Scrutiny, regulator and think tank
  • The Scrutiny Unit
  • The Commons EU scrutiny committee
12:50
Lunch
13:45
House of Commons Departmental Select Committees and how Inquiries are conducted
Evidence, inquiries, reports, government response, debates, pre-legislative scrutiny
14:30
Joint Committees of both Houses and Ad Hoc Committees
15:30
House of Lords Select Committees
The House of Lords EU Scrutiny Committee: Structure, responsibilities, working practices, reports and recommendations
15:30
Other Scrutiny Bodies
  • The Standards and Privileges Committee
  • The Commission for Public Appointments
  • The House of Lords Appointments Committee
  • The Committee for Standards in Public Life
  • The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
  • The New Parliamentary Standards Board
  • The Role of the Media
17:00
Close

Please note that the programme is subject to change without notice

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Comments & Views

“Built my knowledge of parliament extensively.”

Jack Campbell, DFID