68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
68th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference

CPC Workshop F: National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial and Devolved Legislatures: Protecting and Preserving the Separation of Powers

About the Workshop

CPC Workshop F: National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial and Devolved Legislatures: Protecting and Preserving the Separation of Powers
How can Parliaments ensure the fair distribution of powers in multi-level governance systems within the Commonwealth?

This session examines the distribution of powers in multi-level governance systems within the Commonwealth, focusing on the balance between national and sub-national Legislatures. It emphasises the importance of institutional responsibility and non-encroachment, drawing on the Commonwealth Charter and the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles.

The session will focus on identifying key challenges to sub-national autonomy:

  • fiscal arrangements,
  • political centralisation and
  • legal/constitutional authority.

It should examine challenges around financial dependence, executive influence and legislative actions which can undermine the autonomy of regional Legislatures.

The session will consider whether actions could be pursued to overcome these issues, for example, whether national Parliaments legislate for fiscal decentralisation and strengthen constitutional conventions. Furthermore, whether sub-national Legislatures should assert fiscal autonomy, build administrative capacity and promote intergovernmental collaboration.

To read and download the Research Briefing for this workshop please click here.

Session Format

CPC Workshop F: National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial and Devolved Legislatures: Protecting and Preserving the Separation of Powers

This interactive session will begin with a short presentation which will set the scene based around the subject of the session, and which synthesises the Research Briefing.

The Facilitator will then coordinate a group discussion session which will focus on several key questions looking at contemporary challenges which groups should discuss. The round tables will be divided up into tables with participants from national Parliaments, subnational/devolved Legislatures/Crown Dependencies and territories. Following the discussion round, a presenter from each table will present to the group their views/findings.

The latter part of the session will be a broad open discussion from the floor looking at solutions which could tackle unique and broader challenges which were raised in the previous session. The facilitators will develop a list of ‘take aways’ which Legislatures across the Commonwealth could pursue.

Panellists

CPC Workshop F: National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial and Devolved Legislatures: Protecting and Preserving the Separation of Powers
Hon. Natasha Asghar, MS (Wales) - Session Chair

Natasha Asghar MS

Born in Newport, Wales, Natasha is the first woman of colour elected to the Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament) as the Regional Member for South East Wales. Hailing from a media background consisting of television, radio and print, she has worked as a banker and in what was previously the National Assembly for Wales. Natasha has stood for a number of elections prior to the Senedd election of 2021. She stood for Newport East twice in UK General Elections. She has also stood for Blaneau Gwent and Torfaen in previous Senedd elections, and as a candidate in European Parliament elections.

Since being elected Natasha has done numerous interviews for BBC, ITV, The South Wales Argus, The National, The Caerphilly Observer and the Welsh magazine Golwg, and she has appeared on Sharp End. Natasha was the first Member of the Senedd to be interviewed by GB News and was named ‘A force for change’ by British Vogue. She was also named by the BBC as one of world’s 100 most ‘influential and inspiring’ women alongside Malala yousafzai, Melinda Gates and actress Ming-Na-wen.

Natasha has been named the Welsh Conservatives' Shadow Minister for Transport and Technology.

Natasha holds a BA in Politics and Social Policy alongside a Masters in Contemporary British Policy and media from the University of London.

Lydia Buchanan - CPA Secretariat

Lydia Buchanan is currently the Deputy Head of Programmes at CPA and her work focuses on parliamentary strengthening around the Commonwealth on a bilateral basis, which includes delivering seminars across the globe as well as offering technical support and expertise to Parliaments. She has led on the creation of the CPA Parliamentary Academy and has been at the forefront of its development, including delivering over 14 online courses and supporting the learning of over 1,000 registrants. Lydia has also led on the formal accreditation of the CPA Parliamentary Academy.

Prior to this appointment, Lydia spent two years at CPA UK working on a variety of projects, including UK Government funded projects supporting Overseas Territories. Before joining CPA UK, she worked as the Clerk of Council for the Legislative Council of St Helena, which is where her keen interest for small jurisdictions and parliamentary strengthening matured.

Lydia has a degree in Politics and a Masters in Public Policy and Practice from the University of Greenwich.
Lydia also holds a Project Management for Development (PMD Pro) certification.

Key Reading and Resources

CPC Workshop F: National Parliaments vs Provincial, Territorial and Devolved Legislatures: Protecting and Preserving the Separation of Powers
Additional Resources
Articles from The Parliamentarian

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