Committees are ubiquitous. They are found in all types of legislatures- large or small, old or new. Parliamentary committees are important because they can provide a number of values that are not easily available otherwise. However, although it is widely acknowledged that committees have greater resilience in Congressional and Continental systems than in Westminster-style democracies, there are not many studies that explore variations in committee influence and impact in the latter. This volume intends to fill this gap. It provides a detailed account of the organisation and working of parliamentary committees in Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada, India and New Zealand and identifies the reasons that explain why they matter more in some Westminster-style democracies than in the others. It also explores the lessons that Bangladesh can learn from the experiences of other countries. This comparative study should be of interest to parliamentarians, party politicians, researchers, academics and civil society representatives.
Language
English
Pages
244
Format
Hardcover
Release
January 01, 2007
The Working of Parliamentary Committees in Westminster Systems: Lessons for Bangladesh
Committees are ubiquitous. They are found in all types of legislatures- large or small, old or new. Parliamentary committees are important because they can provide a number of values that are not easily available otherwise. However, although it is widely acknowledged that committees have greater resilience in Congressional and Continental systems than in Westminster-style democracies, there are not many studies that explore variations in committee influence and impact in the latter. This volume intends to fill this gap. It provides a detailed account of the organisation and working of parliamentary committees in Australia, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada, India and New Zealand and identifies the reasons that explain why they matter more in some Westminster-style democracies than in the others. It also explores the lessons that Bangladesh can learn from the experiences of other countries. This comparative study should be of interest to parliamentarians, party politicians, researchers, academics and civil society representatives.