Introduction

Unit 5 is devoted to the critical role committees play when new laws are proposed. Often the legislative powers of a country are vested in parliament. Procedures for passing public, private and hybrid bills often require committing such bills to the committee of the whole or other parliamentary committee for consideration. In a number of developing countries’ bills are initiated by the executive but parliament is expected to scrutinize and make amendments to ensure that the bill conforms to national and international policies. This unit focuses on the role parliamentary committees play in the conduct of work in the legislature.

Parliamentary committees have come to assume center stage in legislative decision-making. Parliamentary committees, as of today, remain the focal point of legislative oversight of governments. Even though its evolution has been relatively slow, parliamentary committees – whether in separation of powers or parliamentary Government systems – are considered one of the significant organizational features of modern parliaments.