Public Accounts Committees Meet in Fiji

Commonwealth parliamentarians and clerks from all over the Asia Pacific region will be in Fiji from Monday 19th May to discuss how best to scrutinise government spending. 

Forty delegates from 11 parliaments will be in Nadi for a 3-day workshop.  

They are travelling from the Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Maldives, New South Wales, Niue, Pakistan, Solomon Islands, Tasmania and the UK. 

The workshop will focus on Public Accounts Committees (PACs). Delegates will share skills, experiences and expertise. They will compare and contrast Public Accounts Committees in different jurisdictions. They will discuss challenges, approaches and be encouraged to come up with ideas for improvements.  

Delegates will also explore the most effective use of parliamentary resources, how to prepare for inquiries, questioning techniques and cross-party collaboration.   

Finishing on Wednesday 21st May, the workshop is organised and delivered by the UK Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA UK) in partnership with the Parliament of Fiji. It is the third PAC regional workshop delivered by CPA UK. They were in 2023 and 2024.   

The Speaker of Fijian Parliament, Hon. Fiilimone Jitoko, said the role of Public Accounts Committees is: 

“Vital in strengthening governance, enhancing financial oversight and fostering collaboration among our nations for a more accountable and transparent future.”  

Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, said: 

“At this time of increasing global uncertainty, value for money, control over government spending and transparency are more important than ever. I look forward to meeting with colleagues from across the Commonwealth to discuss the role of PACs and how we can run them as effectively as possible.”   

[ENDS]  

Notes to Editors:   

About CPA UK   

CPA UK’s core work is to build relationships with parliaments across the Commonwealth, including the UK’s Overseas Territories, the UK Devolved Legislatures, and the Crown Dependencies, through a programme of parliamentary strengthening activities.  

CPA UK undertakes work at the request of other parliaments, and our programmes include both individual country activities and large-scale activities that bring together UK and Commonwealth parliamentarians and parliamentary officials.     

About Public Accounts Committees   

Public Accounts Committees examines the value for money of Government projects, programmes and service delivery. The Committee holds government officials to account for the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of public spending.  

https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/127/public-accounts-committee/