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Monday, October 30, 2006

Select Committee on International organisations

As part of my continuing efforts to change the way the Lords work I proposed a committee to look at the international organisations that the UK funds.

I am most interested in examining the World Bank, the IMF and the UN. These get very little attention and yet all play a key part in our international commitments and cost the taxpayer a great deal of money.

The House of Lords has a proven track record on good scrutiny and there are many members of the Lords who have a great deal of relevant experience. Unlike the Commons they also have more time to give to complex issue in international matters.

The Liaison Committee was well disposed to the idea but having already agreed to another select committee on the media and because of the wide ranging nature of my proposal they asked me to look at it again and return to the Liaison Committee next year.

I shall probably narrow the proposal down to the World Bank and the IMF and the UN (from which the first two organisations draw their authority). Read the appendix of the report via the following link.

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldselect/ldliaisn/251/25105.htm