Legislative Oversight and Budgeting : A World Perspective

by Stapenhurst, Rick; Pelizzo, Riccardo; Olson, David; Von Trapp, Lisa

• ISBN13: 9780821376119
• ISBN10: 082137611X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-09-15
• Publisher: World Bank

Summary

In light of the increased focus on good governance, academics and legislative strengthening practitioners are re-examining parliament's oversight function with a view to increasing public financial accountability, curbing corruption, and contributing to poverty reduction.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Introduction	p. 1
Overview	p. 7
Tools for legislative oversight: an empirical investigation	p. 9
Oversight and democracy reconsidered	p. 29
Oversight and the budget process	p. 49
The legislature and the budget	p. 51
Budgets - an accountant's perspective	p. 67
Assessing the power of the purse: an index of legislative budget institutions	p. 79
The role of the legislature in the budget drafting process: a comparative review	p. 99
A note on what happens if no budget is passed before the fiscal year begins	p. 111
Public accounts committees	p. 117
The value of a nonpartisan, independent, objective analytical unit to the legislative role in budget preparation	p. 131
Legislative budget offices: international experience	p. 141
Country case studies	p. 159
Administrative review and oversight: the experience of postcommunist legislatures	p. 161
Separation of powers and legislative oversight in Russia	p. 173
Administrative review and oversight: the experience of Westminster	p. 183
Explaining patterns of oversight in Brazilian subnational governments	p. 193
Evolving patterns of legislative oversight in Indonesia	p. 201
Legislative oversight and the Israeli committee system: problems and solutions	p. 217
Parliamentary oversight of defense in South Africa	p. 229
Keeping a watchful eye? Parliaments and the politics of budgeting in Latin America	p. 243
Does parliament make a difference? The role of the Italian parliament in financial policy	p. 267
Legislative budgeting in the Czech Republic	p. 279
Budget accountability and legislative oversight in transition: the case of post-Suharto Indonesia	p. 293
Establishment of Uganda's parliamentary budget office and parliamentary budget committee	p. 311
Conclusions: legislatures and administration in oversight and budgets: constraints, means, and executives	p. 323
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