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Parliamentary Oversight of Internal Security Forces
Basic oversight features in liberal democracies: the role of Parliaments vis-
à-vis internal security forces
Dyfan JonesParliamentary Development Consultant
Why Parliamentary Oversight?
Civilian oversight > Democratic oversight
Constitution and laws – Executive accountable to Parliament
Security Sector within general policy sphere - Health, Education, Economy, Transport, etc
Citizens
Parliament
Executive
Internal Security Forces
Parliaments’ Duties and Roles
Legislation Budget approval
Representation
OversightPolicy, Budget, Expenditure,
Activities, Implementation of
legislation
Effective Parliamentary Oversight
Legislation - Post legislativ
e scrutiny
Policy Framework - Debate on national
security policy – time for discussion
Activities / Key Issues of the day
Qualitative and
Quantitative
oversight – i.e.
Statistics and
performance
OVERSIGHT
Oversight Mechanisms
•Constitution & Laws
•Rules of Procedure
Rules
•Rules = what is allowed
•Custom = the practice
Custom
•Debates
•Questions
•Motions
Mechanisms
•Oversight of Ministry of Interior
•Oversight of ISFs
•Inquiries
Committees
Challenges for Parliaments
Technical
• Complicated field
• Complex ISF organisation structure
• Lack of ISF expertise in Parliaments
• Lack of budget expertise in Parliaments
Legal / Procedural
• Difficulties in obtaining information
• Information from those Parliaments are overseeing
• Ability to call witnesses / evidence
• Secrecy Laws and Culture
Political Will
• Party discipline• Oversight
perceived as criticism of popular public sector servants
• Lack of interest from citizens compared to other fields e.g. Health, education, jobs, etc
Developing Parliamentary trends
• New challenges for Parliaments include growth of private security sector
Issues
• Growth of specialised Committees & specialised parliamentary staff Parliamentary
Mechanisms
• Increased civil society input into policy and fiscal oversightCivil Society
Interaction
UK Home Affairs Select Committee May 2010 – January
2013ISF Related Inquiries Undertaken
• Lessons from the American experience of policing
• New Landscape of Policing
• Police & Crime Commissioners
• Policing• Policing Large Scale Disorder
• The work of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
• Work of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Constabulary
All Ongoing Inquiries
• Drugs• Regulation for Private Investigators
• Localised Child grooming
• E-crime• Olympics security• Draft anti-social behaviour Bill
• The work of UK Border Agency & Border Force
• Independent Police Complaints Commission
• Leadership & Standards in the Police Service
Policing Large Scale Disorder Inquiry
• 49 Witnesses gave oral evidence to Committee
• 48 organisations and individuals gave written evidence to committee
• 45 page Committee Report including
• 6 sections to the report• Government response
Who Benefits from Parliamentary Oversight of
ISFs?
Increased Legitimacy for Policies
Increased public support for security policies
Raised awareness of policies
Raised awareness of work of ISFs
Increased confidence in ISFs, Executive and Parliament
Parliament
ISFs Executive Citizens