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ISSUE N°7
SEPTEMBER 2002
Page 8 of 8

C O N T E N T S
OF THE ISSUE

white cube Special guest: Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini
white cube Editorial: Democracy, you said?
white cube Event: Parliaments and the FAO World Summit
white cube Dossier:Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians to celebrate its 25th anniversary
white cube Gender issues: Parliament and the budgetary process, including from the gender perspective
white cube Financing for Development: View of British MPs
white cube IPU and UN MPs and the World Summit on Sustainalbe Development
white cube Parliamentary Developments

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The World of Parliaments
 Parliamentary Developments

Argentina

On 5 July 2002, a new law amending the Electoral Code was promulgated. The changes include a 90-day limit on presidential election campaigns and a 60-day limit on campaigns for legislative posts. The bill also limits election advertising in the media to 30 days prior to the polls and provides that any party that violates media advertising restrictions will no longer be entitled to any public financial contributions for a period of one to four years.

Australia

On 12 March 2002, the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives were amended to increase the number of general purpose Standing Committees from nine to thirteen. The titles of the committees and the scope of subjects were also amended to reflect better the current portfolio arrangements of government administration.

Belgium

On 7 March 2002, a law was adopted amending the Electoral Code in order to enable Belgians living abroad to vote in elections to the Federal Legislative Chambers and to introduce freedom of choice for agents in the case of voting by proxy. Three electoral laws were also adopted, in February 2002. One is designed to ensure that a minimum number of Flemish-speaking representatives are elected to the Regional Council for Brussels-Capital. The two other texts aim to promote equal opportunity between candidates and to see to it that preferential votes cast by voters are given greater consideration. To this end, it is planned to halve transfers of votes to candidates at the top of the list. The system of substitute candidates will also be scrapped: non-elected candidates will automatically become substitutes.

Denmark

On 21 February 2002, the Standing Orders of the Folketing were amended to establish a new parliamentary Committee, the "Committee on Foreign and Integration Policy", set up following changes in the jurisdiction of several ministries. Another amendment stipulates that resolutions from MPs to the Prime Minister during the debate on his/her account of the general state of the Realm must not exceed 150 words.

Germany

On 28 June 2002, an amendment to the Political Party Law was approved introducing more stringent accounting standards and more precise details concerning the duties of political party members accepting donations. According to the amendment, violations of the law on financing of political parties are now a criminal offence, punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.

India

An amendment to the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act was enacted in June 2002 to raise the minimum pension of former MPs who had served as members of the House of the People (Lok Sabha) twice but in aggregate of less than four years and members of Provisional Parliament from Rs. 2500 per month to Rs. 3000 per month, with effect from 14 September 2001.
In May 2002, the Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament and Leaders of Opposition in Parliament (Amendment) Act, 2002 was enacted which provides, with effect from 17 September 2001, for Rs. 2000 per month as a sumptuary allowance for the Speaker of the House of the People (Lok Sabha) and each Leader of the Opposition in the House of People and the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), on a par with Cabinet Ministers. Similarly, the Deputy Chairman of the Council of States and the Deputy Speaker of the House of the People have been allowed a sumptuary allowance of Rs. 1000 each, on a par with Ministers of State.
Also in May 2002, the Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament Act, 1953 was amended to provide for family pensions of Rs. 6000 per month, the use of unfurnished residential accommodation without payment of licence fee, and medical treatment for spouses of Speakers who die in office. The minor children of such Speakers shall also be entitled to free medical treatment henceforth.

Japan

On 1 April 2002, an Amendment to the Law concerning remuneration, transportation and other allowances of the National Diet Members entered into force. It reduces the monthly remuneration of National Diet Members, including Presiding Officers and Vice-Presidents of both Houses, by 10 per cent for the period running from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003. It also abolishes payment of the special transportation allowance of 300,000 yen a month to Members with 25 years of service or more and whose service has been recognised by a Resolution of Commendation.

Lithuania

On 14 March 2002, a resolution was adopted changing the number of members of Seimas Committees. With the introduction of this resolution, the number of committees have passed to 14 ranging in size from seven members (Committee on Environmental Protection) to 24 members (Committee on European Affairs).
On 4 June 2002, a new Referendum Law was approved which provides for two types of referendums: obligatory and consultative. Obligatory referendums will be organised for amendments to articles of the Constitution, the amendment of the Constitutional Act "On Non-Accession of the Republic of Lithuania to Post-Soviet Eastern Unions," and on Lithuania's participation in international organisations when the partial transfer of duties of State bodies to institutions or jurisdictions of international organisations is involved. Consultative referendums will be held on other matters. Referendums will be considered valid if more than half of all eligible voters turn out. The law will go into effect on 1 January 2003.

New Zealand

The Electoral Amendment Act 2002 became law on 27 February 2002. The aim of the new legislation was to improve the electoral administration in time for the following general elections (July 2002). Among other things, the new legislation provides for a system of continuous enrolment; facilitates the establishment of a regional management structure under the direction of the Chief Electoral Officer; simplifies the issue and return of the writ of the election; further simplifies the preliminary and official count processes by replacing the current prescriptive provisions in the Act with more general empowering provisions; simplifies the declaration of final election results by making the Chief Electoral Officer responsible for declaring them and returning the writ, as well as for the receipt of candidates' returns of election expenses; allows the party votes of special voters who, although registered, voted in the wrong electorate; facilitates the provision of ordinary Maori facilities in every polling place; and facilitates the provision of better service to overseas voters.

Slovakia

An amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the National Council was approved. The change introduces the obligation for the Government to submit to Parliament international treaties on human rights and fundamental freedoms; international treaties the execution of which does not require an act, and international treaties which directly establish rights or obligations of natural persons or legal entities with precedence over laws containing a so-called precedence clause.

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

In June 2002, the Assembly of the Republic adopted the laws on the election of Deputies of the Assembly of the Republic, on voters' lists and on constituencies. These new electoral laws introduce a proportional voting system in six multi-member constituencies, 20 deputies being elected in each of them. The nomination lists may be submitted by parties, coalitions of parties or groups of at least 500 voters. At least 30 per cent of the candidates on each list must be of different gender. Each voter votes for a list and seats are distributed on a proportional basis, according to the D'Hondt formula.
In July 2002, the Assembly of the Republic adopted the new Rules of Procedure that align the provisions for the organisation and the functioning of the Assembly with the Constitution of 1991 and its Amendments of November 2001.

United Kingdom

On 14 May 2002, amendments were made to those provisions of the Standing Orders relating to select committees. The House of Commons approved the First Report of the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons relating to Select Committees, which gave a commitment to more specialist and support staff for select committees and will lead to the establishment of common objectives for select committees. The House also agreed to make arrangements to pay the chairmen of select committees and to ensure that no Member who has chaired a select committee for the two previous Parliaments continues to do so. Select committees will also be allowed to share the results of their work with committees in the devolved legislatures.

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