How can Parliamentary Committees be made more effective?

How can Parliamentary Committees be made more effective?

May 30, 2018

Committees are the most important working bodies in a parliament. It is not that public sittings are less important, but their function is different: to give publicity to debates over decisions and to take final decisions in a ceremonial manner.

This is not to say that parliamentary committees do not play a political role, but their interventions take place at a preliminary stage, except in some specific circumstances (legislation in committee, when it is constitutionally possible, or in some particular aspects of parliamentary enquiries or oversight powers).

In fact, historically the establishment of committees was a pragmatic answer to an evident need: to gather members of parliament in smaller groups in order to enable more efficient work. They also give more time to parliament to prepare its answers to government initiatives.