[Book Review] Handbook on Parliamentary financial oversight : adapting PAC best practices to legislatures in small jurisdictions

Abstract

This book emerged out of a research project jointly undertaken between the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and McGill University, School of Continuing Studies, Montreal, Canada. This research project was announced at the CPA Small Branches Conference in Kampala in September 2019 and 30 small jurisdictions, including more than two dozen small CPA branches, responded to the research questionnaire. The research project was funded by Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, with matching funds from partners. The project leader was Rick Stapenhurst, from McGill University. The intention of the handbook is to examine the status of parliamentary financial oversight through Public Accounts Committees (PACs) in small Commonwealth parliaments. That examination includes institutional factors, capacity and motivation, out of which came recommendations to promote enhanced parliamentary financial oversight in small jurisdictions.