Programme on the Use of Evidence in Parliamentary Work for Members of the National Assembly of Malawi March 2017.

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1 1204MALAWI/REPORT Programme on the Use of Evidence in Parliamentary Work for Members of the National Assembly of Malawi 9 10 March 2017 UK Parliament Final Report

2 Contents About the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK...3 Summary...4 Project Overview...5 Aim & Objectives of Project...6 Participants & Key Stakeholders...7 Key Issues...7 Results of the Project...9 Next Steps Acknowledgements Annex A: Full Programme Annex B: Speaker Biographies

3 About CPA UK CPA UK is one of the largest and most active branches in the CPA community and delivers a unique annual international outreach programme in Westminster and overseas. CPA UK works to encourage parliamentary diplomacy and build parliamentary capacity on behalf of the UK Parliament and the wider CPA. Through activities such as conferences, seminars, delegations and parliamentary strengthening teams, CPA UK provides Members with a practical, current and first-hand perspective on international issues facing fellow parliamentarians across the Commonwealth. Working with CPA UK s international outreach programmes also enhances Members understanding of issues facing diaspora communities in their own constituencies. 3

4 Summary This workshop successfully continued CPA UK s work with Members of the Malawian National Assembly, hosting a delegation of young Members of Parliament for a programme exploring evidence informed policymaking a field growing quickly in Malawi and in the field of parliamentary and governance work. The delegation met with a wide range of stakeholders, including Members and Peers, external organisations, and the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) to acquire a detailed understanding of the role evidence can play in parliamentary practice and procedure. Key areas of discussion focused on: the availability of resources; the relationship between external organisations and Parliament; and effective committee inquiries. The programme also included a constituency visit to explore the relationship between Members of Parliament and those they represent. Feedback showed the programme to be well received, and participants indicated a good understanding of the areas set out in the objectives. 4

5 Project Overview In November 2016, CPA UK ran a programme on parliamentary practice and procedure for young parliamentarians in Lilongwe, Malawi. This programme aimed to strengthen young parliamentarians and aspiring politicians understanding of parliamentary procedure, as well as increase engagement with young people. The political engagement of young people is a particularly prevalent issue given Malawi s young population. 67% of the population are aged 24 or under and Malawi has a median age of Following this programme, the National Assembly of Malawi and CPA UK identified a need to continue developing the technical capacity of Malawi s young parliamentarians, particularly around the topic of issue-based parliamentary work and evidence informed policymaking. As a result CPA UK, in partnership with the UK Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), hosted a delegation of young Members of the National Assembly of Malawi for a two day programme in Westminster, to continue to explore and discuss these issues The National Assembly of Malawi has been increasing their focus on the use of evidence in parliamentary work, along with other countries across the African continent. The African Evidence Network (AEN), founded in 2012, has a membership of over 1100 individuals both within and outside of the African continent 2. In 2016, AEN s Evidence Conference in Pretoria 3 was attended by 180 delegates from 20 countries and included multiple sessions delivered by representatives of the Malawian Parliament

6 1.04. The UK government has also been supporting evidence informed policy-making through the Department for International Development (DfID), who funded the Building Capacity to use Research Evidence (BCURE) programme from 2013 to This POST programme built on the work undertaken by the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), who have trained researchers in the National Assembly of Malawi Between 2013 and 2017 AFIDEP ran a programme entitled Strengthening Capacity to Use Research Evidence in Health Policy (SECURE Health) 4 in partnership with the National Assembly of Malawi. This programme encouraged evidence informed policy-making at both technical and parliamentary levels and, as indicated by its director Dr Rose Oronje, led to an increased awareness and mind-set shift amongst top officials 5. As such, CPA UK s programme drew on the learnings from this earlier programme to explore how such mind-sets can become further integrated in policy-making and legislative scrutiny procedures, particularly through the work of parliamentarians and through parliamentary staff The SECURE Health programme was run in collaboration with POST, who offered placements for parliamentary research staff from Malawi in order to develop their skills in handling research evidence and briefing their parliamentarians 6. Drawing on the expertise of POST and other UK Members, the CPA UK programme reinforced developments in the growing field of evidence informed policy-making by assessing how it is implemented within the UK Parliament, and how these learnings can be applied in a Malawian parliamentary context. Project Aim & Objectives Aim. To strengthen parliamentarians knowledge of issue-based parliamentary work and evidence informed policymaking Objectives. In the context of the parliamentary practices in Westminster and through a programme of meetings, briefings, plenary sessions and interactive discussions, the programme will deliver the following objectives: a. Objective 1. Improve understanding of the role evidence plays in both select and public bill committee practice and procedures. b. Objective 2. Increase knowledge of the various resources available to members to support the use of evidence in committee work, including legislative and financial specialists, as well as dedicated committee staff

7 c. Objective 3. Explore the work of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) and how principles of research based evidence can contribute to effective policymaking and legislative scrutiny. d. Objective 4. To explore effective methods of constituency engagement, including the role and responsibilities of Members of Parliament and their staff in local communities. Participants & Key Stakeholders This programme was aimed at young parliamentarians under the age of 35 in the National Assembly of Malawi. The delegation consisted of: Hon. Naomi Kilekwa MP Hon. Patricia Kainga MP Hon. Peter Dimba MP Hon. Rabson Shaba MP Hon. Themba Mkandawire MP Hon. Vasco Chimbalu MP Hon. Thomson Kamangira MP Hon. Bonnex Malunga MP Hon. Misolo Kapichila MP Leonard Tilingamawa, Principal Research Officer Key Issues Each objective of this programme was addressed with targeted sessions over two days. The first day, spent at Westminster, explored the scope and variety of resources available to parliamentarians that aid evidence-informed policy making. These included: meeting with the House of Lords Library staff; meeting with external scientific organisations; meeting with the Chair of POST s board; meeting with Members and officials of both Houses Science and Technology Committees; and meeting with the Head of the Scrutiny Unit. During the second day the delegation met with the Select Committee s Engagement Team and also undertook an external visit to a constituency to explore the relationship between UK MPs and their constituents The difficulty of communicating the variety of research resources that are available to Members to assist with their legislative duties was raised as an issue affecting both parliaments. Matthew Purvis, Head of Research at the House of Lords Library, commented on the challenge of making peers aware of the library s tailored research services and other resources. This difficulty was also reflected in the Parliament of Malawi, where Members commented that they were often unaware of the research services available. This led to a particularly interesting discussion between the Malawian Members and their accompanying Clerk who, unbeknown to some of the visiting Members, also sits in the research department in Malawi, and who also indicated the difficulty in making all Members aware of the resources offered by himself and other Clerks. 7

8 4.03. The meeting with external organisations was a particularly informative session and raised a variety of issues. The challenge of developing and managing relationships between the scientific community and parliamentarians was raised, particularly as MPs do not often have a scientific background, and as such do not have an understanding of what information is available from the scientific community. Both Dr Stephen Benn and Becky Purvis discussed different initiatives that had been implemented to improve these links, including the creation of the Chief Scientific Officer position in governmental departments to ensure scientific perspectives are considered during policy making Full Fact, a fact-checking organisation, inspired further interesting discussions on the role of evidence in Parliamentary work. William Moy and Phoebe Arnold of Full Fact discussed how the use of factual evidence by MPs can be highly effective, but also easily manipulated. They commented on the insidious nature of repeated untruths and how best to present accurate information in the current media and political landscape. The delegation commented on similar challenges of communicating factual information in Malawi, and were particularly interested in how fact-checking organisations such as Full Fact work alongside Parliament and politicians. Ms Arnold commented on the growing international collection of fact-checking organisations across the globe and how members of the delegation could support a similar organisation in Malawi, which could ensure independent scrutiny of factual information from across the political spectrum, and hence strengthen parliamentary decision-making procedures The session also explored other roles of parliamentarians in regards to evidence-informed policy making and how parliaments have a key role to play in debating ethical issues, particularly on contentious subjects. Ms Purvis, for example, noted a recent example where a debate around the length of time embryos can be kept alive under artificial conditions is an area where Parliament could effectively debate ethical concerns, utilising evidence provided by the scientific community in a wider debate incorporating cultural and moral concerns. The delegation commented on similar debates in the National Assembly of Malawi around controversial issues such as abortion, and highlighted the difficulty in voting for issues where there is a large scientific and cultural division of opinion The delegation also discussed the use of evidence in committees and how, as non-experts, MPs can make use of evidence to inform inquiries. Simon Fiander, Clerk of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, talked about the differences between House of Lords and House of Commons committees, commenting on how Peers who sit on committees are usually experts in their field, whilst MPs rarely are. Drawing on his experience on committees, Lord Cameron gave a brief introduction into how inquiries are run, and how they will not only seek factual evidence submissions, but will also hire experts on a short term basis to undertake independent research for a specific inquiry. Lord Cameron expressed the importance of impartiality, commenting on the potential for biased reports when experts bring their preconceptions to the area of investigation, which in turn can damage the overall authority, independence, and potential impact of inquiry reports. The delegation and speakers discussed the advantages and drawbacks to this system, commenting on how, though often MPs are not initially experts, throughout the 8

9 process of an inquiry they become well versed in a topic. There was also a discussion about the limited influence of party alignment within committees, in both Houses, but particularly in the House of Lords where Peers feel less pressure to adhere to party lines due to the security of their position in the UK Parliament The final half day was spent shadowing Kate Osamor MP in her constituency of Edmonton, witnessing how Members of Parliament interact with their constituents. The visit was divided into two parts, the first was spent shadowing Ms Osamor as she visited a local housing estate and heard constituents concerns. The second part was held at Ms Osamor s constituency office where the delegation discussed the importance of having a presence within the community. The constituency visit was of particular interest to the delegation, who discussed how their relationships with constituents differ, and which are often undertaken in a more informal manner. However, there is the potential for a shift in this relationship, with new campaign funding laws being considered by the National Assembly of Malawi. The visit also included a discussion of the staffing resources available to UK MPs, including funds provided to MPs to hire their own staff both in Westminster and their respective constituency who are dedicated to assisting individual constituents, allowing for constituents to directly engage with their elected representative. The delegation pointed to the contrast in resources available to Malawian Members, particularly within the constituency, which limit their capacity to address constituents needs. Results of the Project The programme introduced the young parliamentarians to the substantial body of work undertaken with the National Assembly of Malawi on the topic of evidence informed policymaking, notably informing the parliamentarians of POST s work both with AFIDEP and with the Malawian research staff who undertook placements at Westminster The programme delivered sessions addressing each objective of the programme. Objectives 1 and 2 were addressed through relevant meetings, aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of various evidence related areas within parliamentary practice and procedure. The level of understanding of these areas can be seen in the chart below. Objective 3 aimed to explore the work of POST, both within the UK parliament and also in relation to the work previously undertaken with the Malawian National Assembly. Discussions with the Chair of POST s board held over a working lunch served this purpose, highlighting the growing field of evidence informed policymaking. Finally, Objective 4 was addressed during a constituency visit, which was well received, leading one participant to comment: I actually will be able to communicate with my constituents well since [I] am now well equipped with lots of skills that I have benefited [from] through this training workshop The main initial outcomes include a good knowledge of the areas addressed throughout the project. The delegation, at the conclusion of the programme, indicated a good understanding of the various topics as indicated in the below table (where 5 is equal to very good understanding): 9

10 The UK Parliamentary System 2. Evidence Informed Policymaking 3. Evidence Gathering in Public Bill and Select Committees 4. The Use of Evidence in Parliamentary Procedure 5. How External Organisations Contribute to Evidence Informed Policymaking 6. Producing Effective Inquiry Reports 7. Providing Scrutiny Support Average rating of understanding post workshop Next Steps CPA UK will continue to develop its links with the National Assembly of Malawi, and particularly with its youth caucus. CPA UK, in partnership with the National Assembly of Malawi, will develop a longer term plan and strategy for future engagement aimed at supporting the youth caucus, and including programmes exploring how evidence can be effectively used in parliamentary processes, and in turn strengthening parliamentary practice As with the programme delivered in Lilongwe in November 2016, CPA UK will look to deliver future programmes in partnership with CPA Scotland, given the strong links between Malawi and Scotland. CPA UK will also engage closely with the British High Commission in Lilongwe, to ensure that programming relates closely to the context and remains dynamic to adapt to changes in the political environment. It will also aim to complement the work that the British High Commission is conducting with young aspiring politicians from all political parties in Malawi, in the run-up to the next Malawi General Election, to be held in

11 Acknowledgements CPA UK would like to extend its thanks to all the speakers who kindly volunteered their time and expertise throughout the programme In particular CPA UK would like to thank the external speakers including Becky Purvis, Dr Stephen Benn, Phoebe Arnold and William Moy, and Kate Osamor MP and her staff who generously hosted the delegation at the constituency office Thanks also go to Dr Aaron Goater and to POST for their invaluable assistance with the project Finally, thanks to Leonard Tilingamawa, Clerk from the National Assembly of Malawi, for his assistance in coordinating the delegation. Annex A Full Programme Thursday 9 March 2017 Evidence in Parliamentary Procedure 1045 Arrived at Parliament Session 1: The Use of Evidence in Parliamentary Procedure This session explored the work of the House of Lords Library and how that work helps parliamentarians scrutinise the government and shape legislation, whether in committees or through written and oral parliamentary questions. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Speaker: Matthew Purvis, Head of Research, House of Lords Library Session 2: How External Organisations Contribute to Evidence Informed Policymaking This meeting explored how external think tanks, experts, and organisations engage with the UK Parliament to further evidence informed policy-making and legislative scrutiny across a broad range of subject areas. This session also explored how productive relationships between Parliament and external organisations are formed and managed. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Speakers: Dr Stephen Benn, Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Royal Society of Biology Becky Purvis, Head of Public Affairs, Royal Society William Moy, Director, Full Fact Phoebe Arnold, Head of Communications, Full Fact 11

12 Dr Aaron Goater, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Working Lunch This working lunch brought together Malawian Members and the Chair of POSTs Board to explore how external sources can inform and support Parliamentarians work, and how such research services are overseen by elected Members. CPA Room Host: Adam Afriyie MP (Conservative), Chair, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Board Session 3: Producing Effective Inquiry Reports In the UK Parliament, committees produce reports detailing the conclusions and issues raised through the inquiry process. They often provide recommendations to improve policy and practices. This session explored how reports are produced, how they are used, and what their impact can be. This session also examined the circumstances and techniques used to create maximum impact with reports, including the expectations of government following the publishing of a report, and further practical outcomes. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Speakers: Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat) Lord Cameron of Dillington (Crossbench) Simon Fiander, Clerk, Science and Technology Committee Session 4: Providing Scrutiny Support This session introduced the delegation to the UK Parliament s Scrutiny Unit, which provides technical support on financial and legislative scrutiny. The session explored the structure of the Scrutiny Unit and the support that it provides, as well as discussing its origins as a cost-effective resource to improve parliamentary scrutiny. The delegation also had the opportunity to discuss how evidence is used by the Scrutiny Unit and how the staff support committees to make the best use of evidence. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Speaker: David Lloyd, Head of the Scrutiny Unit 1600 End of Programme Friday 10 March 2017 Parliamentary Outreach and Constituency Engagement Session 6: Outreach and Public Engagement 12

13 A key element of a parliamentarian s role is engaging the public about their work and their impact on governance. This session explored how Members can effectively communicate with the public, as well as to engage with the public in order to understand what the key issues are, and to gather anecdotal evidence. In particular, the session explored the structures and mechanisms at the parliamentary level to enable this process in relation to the work of Select Committees. The session also examined the role that the media and social media can play in publicising a report or an issue. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Speaker: Natasha Hallett, Select Committees Engagement Manager Engagement on Issues at the Constituency Level Members must engage meaningfully with their constituents to learn about issues affecting their constituents and to support individual cases, as well as to build up examples and knowledge on issues to support change at the national level, through policy campaigns and scrutiny or the legislative process. This activity gave the delegation an opportunity to speak to a Member about their constituency responsibilities and how they effectively translate this into their broader work in the UK Parliament. The delegation visited the constituency of Kate Osamor MP, in North London. The delegation saw how Members of Parliament in the UK engage with constituents and with local organisations. There was also the opportunity for the delegation to learn how Members campaign on local issues and gather evidence to support their parliamentary work, to connect parliamentary practices to local people. Host: Kate Osamor MP (Labour), Shadow Secretary of State for International Development Evaluation Session and Programme Input The final session provided an opportunity for participants to discuss this programme and to raise any questions that haven t been addressed during the programme. This session also allowed for participants to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the programme, as well as to discuss what future areas of training they may find useful, which will then be incorporated into the development of the longer term strengthening programme. CPA Room, Westminster Hall Facilitators: Ollie Hall, Programme Officer, International Outreach Team, CPA UK Eleanor Bayley, Africa Programme Manager, CPA UK 1500 End of Programme 13

14 Annex B Speaker Biographies Dr Aaron Goater, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Aaron was the energy adviser at Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology before recently going on secondment to the Committee on Climate Change in Aaron has a background in applied mathematics and a PhD in reservoir engineering (for carbon capture and storage - CCS) from Imperial College London. Prior to working at POST he was a post-doctoral researcher at the British Geological Survey. Matthew Purvis Matthew is currently the Head of Research Services in the House of Lords Library, leading a team of 14 researchers. They answer research questions submitted by members of the Lords and produce briefings for legislation and bills before the House. He is also responsible for the Library's enquiry service for members. Before his appointment in 2015, Matthew worked for six years as a researcher, having joined the Library in 2009 following promotion from an enquiry assistant role in the House of Lords Information Office. Dr Stephen Benn Director of Parliamentary Affairs, Royal Society of Biology Stephen is responsible for raising the profile and understanding of the life sciences at a parliamentary level, and champions a pan-science approach to policy challenges. Will Moy Will has been the Director of Full Fact since 2010, through three referendums, the Leveson Inquiry into press standards, the European Parliamentary and 2015 general elections. He appears regularly on TV, radio, and at events to discuss Full Fact's work and fact-checks, as well as giving evidence to the Leveson Inquiry and select committee inquiries. Before Full Fact, Will worked for the non-party affiliated peer Lord Low of Dalston and the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety. 14

15 Lord Fox (Liberal Democrat) Lord Fox has a background in engineering, gaining a BSc in Chemistry at Imperial College, London University before working in the petroleum industry in the Middle East. Following a brief stint as a journalist Lord Fox has held roles at a Schlumberger, Tate and Lyle, Smiths Group PLC and GKN plc. He currently sits on the Science and Technology Committee in the House of Lords. Adam Afriyie MP (Conservative) Adam was elected MP for Windsor in 2005 for the Conservative Party. A former Shadow Minister for Science and current Chair of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST), Adam is an outspoken supporter of evidence-based policy making, greater social mobility, and the power of business to provide jobs, prosperity, and a better society. Adam is also the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Financial Technology and, in 2016, was named Prime Minister s Trade Envoy to Ghana. David Lloyd Head of the Scrutiny Unit David joined the House of Commons service in October Since then he has worked on a range of select committees (Scottish Affairs, Social Services, Social Security, European Legislation, Deregulation, Education and Skills, and Regional Committees), as well as in the Journal Office and the Public Bill Office. While in the Public Bill Office ( ) he held successively the posts of Clerk of Supply and Clerk in charge of Private Members Bills. He is also an Associate Clerk at the Table. Most recently he was Clerk of the Health Committee ( ). 15