1. Parliamentary Budget Offices (PBO) E-Learning Course Anthony Staddon Consultant WBI A.Staddon@Westminster.ac.uk

2. PBO E-Learning Course An introductory course for parliamentary staff and others interested in the subject of parliamentary strengthening and good governance. Examines the work of independent, objective, non- partisan PBOs and their contribution to the budget process. Forms part of a series of e-courses on Parliament and the Budget offered by the E-Institute.

3. PBO E-Learning Course Last course November 2013 – Involved 75 participants including individuals working in PBOs; parliamentarians; NGO workers; educators; academic researchers; civil servants; lawyers, and the private sector. – Countries represented included: Argentina, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Canada, Comoros, D. R. Congo, Guinea, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Serbia, Somalia, South Africa, Turkmenistan, Uganda, UK, USA, and Zambia Suitable participants were encouraged to join GNPBO to obtain further information on the design, establishment, and operation of PBOs.

4. PBO E-Learning Course Four-Week Moderated Course Module 1: Parliament and the Budget (Week 1) Module 2: Fiscal Councils and PBOs (Week 1) Module 3: Potential Value of a PBO (Week 2) Module 4: Functions and Mandate (Week 3) Module 5: Examples of PBOs and Fiscal Councils Module 6: Considerations in Establishing Effective PBOs (Week 4)

5. Course Reflections Evidence of broader efforts to strengthen budget transparency e.g. the Budget Monitoring Forum in Mozambique Possibility of PBOs being created in Libya, Scotland, Myanmar, Trinidad & Tobago & Jamaica Exploring the relationship between a fiscal council and a new PBO (South Africa) – PBO has a broader mandate (but a narrower stakeholder base as it will exclusively assist parliament in budgetary matters) than the Financial and Fiscal Commission (restricted to dealing with intergovernmental fiscal relations, but serves many stakeholders). – Potential risk of conflict given that the Commission already has the responsibility to advise the parliament and the provincial legislatures on financial and fiscal matters?

6. Executive-Legislative Relations Concerns raised about the future of the PBO in Uganda and examples of political interference or pushback in Canada and Hungary. Kenya PBO’s success in establishing positive relationships with the National Treasury, and other national agencies, with an interest in budgetary and socio-economic matters. PBO is a member of the Inter-governmental Budget and Economic Council. National Treasury’s invitation for the PBO to sit on committees developing policy and legislation PBO had members in the Working Committee on Fiscal Decentralization. This facilitated the approval of the2012 PFM Bill, as the PBO kept Parliament well informed of the issues and proposals being discussed and agreed on by the Working Committee

7. Recent Experience/Impact Evidence that the timeliness of the budget process has also improved in countries with PBOs. – NABRO’s assistance led the 2013 Nigerian budget to be passed early, the first time this has happened since 1999. – Evidence that the Ugandan PBO has increased levels of discipline in adhering to the budget calendar and complying with the medium term expenditure framework. Staffing – The Moroccan PBO is not fully staffed with full-time employees, but "seconds" staff from other legislative committees to work part-time in the PBO. Participants saw this as a potential transitional model to a fully dedicated PBO in other countries.

8. Recent Experience/Impact Evidence that technical input from PBO has resulted into change in the executive's budget. Information provided by e-learning participant (Uganda) – More than 90% of what was provided as technical input becomes part of the sessional committee report. – More than 70% of the technical input ends up in the Budget Committee report. – The executive is currently adopting well over 50% of the recommendations of the budget committee (compared to 20- 30% in previous Parliaments). Other participants also claimed PBOs are playing a real role in assisting parliamentarians to take a more active role in the budget process with a significant rise in interventions and amendments (e.g. Morocco and Liberia).