Dimension: 2.2.4 Professionalism of the parliamentary administration
This dimension concerns various aspects of the professionalism of the parliamentary administration, including professional and ethical standards of conduct, complaints procedures and career management of parliamentary staff.
Parliaments generally either follow the code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct applicable to the civil service in general, or have developed separate code(s) specifically for parliamentary staff. In either case, the code(s) should set out clear expectations on professionalism and ethical conduct, on respect for parliament, its staff and the people they serve, and on integrity, accountability and impartiality.
The code(s) may cover a number of matters, including those listed below:
- Providing neutral and non-partisan support to parliament and MPs
- Behaving honestly, lawfully and with integrity
- Treating everyone with respect and courtesy, and without harassment (especially women and minority groups)
- Avoiding conflicts of interest or the improper use of a position for personal gain
- Upholding the good reputation of parliament and of the nation as a whole
There should be a clearly defined and robust process for the filing and independent investigation of complaints concerning alleged breaches of the code(s), with sanctions applied where such complaints are upheld.
The parliamentary administration has an important responsibility for the training and professional development of parliamentary staff, and for the development of an ethos of parliamentary service. Through its human-resources policies and practices, the parliamentary administration should ensure that staff have the skills and knowledge to support the institutional continuity of parliament.
See also:
Aspiring goal
Assess your parliament against this dimension
Assessment criteria
No 1: Code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct
The legal framework requires the development of code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct for parliamentary staff.
No 2: Scope
Code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct for parliamentary staff exist in practice, apply to all parliamentary staff, and set out clear expectations on professionalism and ethical conduct, on respect for parliament, its staff and the people they serve, and on integrity, accountability and impartiality.
No 3: Complaints
There is a clearly defined and robust process for the filing and independent investigation of complaints concerning alleged breaches of the code(s), with sanctions applied where such complaints are upheld.
No 4: Professional development
The parliamentary administration has a professional development framework that promotes an ethos of parliamentary service and ensures that staff have the skills and knowledge to support the institutional continuity of parliament.
How to complete this assessment
This dimension is assessed against several criteria, each of which should be evaluated separately. For each criterion, select one of the six descriptive grades (Non-existent, Rudimentary, Basic, Good, Very good and Excellent) that best reflects the situation in your parliament, and provide details of the evidence on which this assessment is based.
The evidence for assessment of this dimension could include the following:
- Provisions of the legal framework relating to code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct for parliamentary staff
- Code(s) of ethics, standards and conduct for parliamentary staff
- Statistics relating to complaints concerning alleged breaches of the code(s) and the outcomes of the related investigations
- Human-resources policies and practices relating to professional development and the development of an ethos of parliamentary service
Where relevant, provide additional comments or examples that support the assessment.
Sources and further reading
- Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) Principles for recruitment and career management of staff of the parliamentary administration (2014).
- David Beetham, Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. and democracy in the twenty-first century: A guide to good practice (2006).
- Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Recommended Benchmarks for Democratic Legislators, revised edition (2018).
- Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Guidelines for the elimination of sexism, harassment and violence against women in parliament (2019).
- IPU, Comparative research paper on parliamentary administration (2020).
- National Democratic Institute (NDI), Toward the Development of International Standards for Democratic Legislatures (2007).
Get help with this assessment
The assessment of indicators involves diagnosing and considering strengths and weaknesses, i.e. the things parliament is doing well, and the things it could do better or more effectively, taking into account established good practices that are described in the indicators.
Read the assessment guidance to find out what to consider when conducting an assessment against the Indicators. Find out how to prepare, how to set the objectives of the assessment, how to organize the process, and more. Contact the project partners for expert advice.
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