GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY & PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT Rick Stapenhurst World Bank Institute
Presentation Outline What do we mean by accountability? Challenges to parliament s supremacy in overseeing government Opportunities for Parliaments
Accountability - Origins In 1085, William I required all property holders in his kingdom to render a count of what they possessed (the Doomesday Books ). By the 12th. Century, this notion of giving an account (and simultaneously swearing allegiance to the king) had evolved into a highly centralized administrative kingship that ruled through centralized auditing and account giving. Since then, the accounting relationship has reversed; no longer sovereigns holding their subjects to account, but rather the authorities themselves who are being held accountable by their citizens.
Accountability What does it mean? Core concept : : a a relationship in which a person or institution feels an obligation to explain and justify his/her/its actions to some significant other. It is based on a mutual understanding of rewards & sanctions and the conditions under which they will applied. Implies the right of superior authority of the accountee over the accountor, the right to demand answers and to impose sanctions
Two Types of Accountability 1 Vertical Government The Electorate Democratic accountability Government is held to account by citizens through elections Blunt instrument what about between elections?
Two Types of Accountability 2 Horizontal State institutions which are charged to oversee government Problem : many of these institutions do not work well Parliament, Auditor General, Anti-Corruption Commission, etc Government Oversight Institutions The Public
Parliamentary Oversight Executive selected by legislature Notion of confidence in executive as a whole and in ministers Cabinet is collegial; acts collectively Concept of ministerial accountability
Traditional Parliamentary Oversight Tools Vote of confidence Question Time Public Accounts Committees
New Parliamentary Oversight Committees Tools Ombuds Confirmation of some appointments
Congressional Oversight Separation of powers Executive chosen by voters Cabinet is advisory, appointed by Executive
Traditional Congressional Oversight Tools Strong committees Confirmation of appointments Impeachment Special inquiries
Dilemma for Parliaments As the world democratizes, citizens are demanding more accountability from government Vertical accountability isn t t working electoral fraud; political corruption Horizontal accountability isn t t working state institutions are captured by elites or starved for resources Parliaments are being sidelined, as both governments and civil society seek to develop alternative accountability mechanisms
Dilemma for Parliaments (2) Governments often ignore parliament ( Executive domination ) Citizens distrust politicians To whom is Parliament accountable to?
Source: WBI diagnostics and survey data; various countries; 1998-2004. Paraguay figure comes from the first governance diagnostic 1999. http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/ Note: The chart shows percentage of respondents reporting that Parliament is dishonest institution. The number at the top of each bar reflects the ranking of Parliament relative to other government institutions. Parliaments: Misgoverned or Honest Institutions? 100% % who believe that Parliament is corrupt 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 6/22 6/32 6/35 31/43 14/20 16/21 29/36 19/23 39/50 20/27 35/35 42/42 47/50 30/30 Relatively good Georgia (1998) Cambodia (2000) Sierra Leone (2003) Honduras (2001) Romania (2000) Paraguay (1999) Latvia (1999) Bolivia (1999) Guinea (2004) Slovakia (2001) Ecuador (1999) Rank of Parliament within country, by Public Servants Peru (2001) Guatemala (2004) Colombia (2001) Relatively bad
New accountability mechanisms Citizen scorecards ( PAC( PAC ) Citizen budget tracking exercises Citizen s s charters Special Agencies Industry regulatory bodies etc., etc.
But risk also yields opportunities Vertical accountability. Uganda, British Columbia have recall mechanisms Many parliaments have instituted codes of ethics + codes of conduct, to regain public trust (UK, Australia, others) Other parliaments are opening up parliamentary procedures, in an effort to make parliament itself more accountable
But risk also yields opportunities (2) Horizontal accountability. Some parliaments are ensuring that oversight institutions are independent of government Many are strengthening their committee systems (Australia, UK) Others are opening up committee hearings & actively seek input from civil society groups (Gautang( Gautang) Re-invigorating parliamentary oversight of the budget (Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria)
Two Questions to You Are you facing some of the challenges that I have just mentioned? Are you implementing parliamentary reforms to make your parliament the main game?