II. Practical Paradoxes and Problems

5. The Development of Parliamentary Information

In other words, informatics, from an analytical point of view, is a way of thinking and expressing a qualitative shift from reliance on intuition, personal preferences and value judgements to recognition of real facts and dealing with them to arrive at the best possible solutions (increasing return and decreasing expenses) regarding the problems in question. From here information is linked to decision forming and decision making. It does not revolve in vacuum, but is used for a specific end.

Informatics is a means of action that cannot accept division or selectivity that is not based on planning. It cannot be conceived for example that computers are lumped in administrations in huge numbers without this affecting the methods of work of the institutions involved. The aim should be to improve services or the final product (so that the work is faster and the performance is of better quality). This raises questions sometimes regarding the real role of information centers created in the different institutions and bodies. Thirdly, informatics has an important cultural significance. It is not only linked to the method of work, the quality of the product and the improvement of output. It has become a major means to reinforce the channels of communication between individuals, between society and the state, between society and the outside world (which is no longer an outside world).

Informatics has become a synonym of transparency and the means through which the latter can exist. It is no longer possible to leave planning for development exclusively in the hands of an elite of politicians or public employees. Nor should planning by one dimensional i.e. from government to people. It is not tenable either to implement development plans without measuring their effects on society and impact on individuals. The state should not have exclusive hold over the preparation of the political, economic, social and cultural agendas of society, nor should it have exclusivity over laying down its priorities, its major issues and how to deal with them… All this is no longer practical in the Third Millennium.

If informatics are necessary for the state apparatus and the institutions of society, they are inevitable for parliament. This is because of their mass oriented nature, deputizing tasks and legislative and monitoring roles. The development of communication means and information systems in parliament has become the infrastructure leading to the growth of the parliamentary institution, on the one hand, and the activation of a democratic climate on the other. Parliament does not work in vacuum, but is linked to the political and cultural climates surrounding it. It affects them and is in turn affected by these climates.

From here, the specification of a parliamentary information channel in Arab information policy is considered an important step in the foundation of this type of information, and consequently towards the consolidation of the culture and institutions of a democratic society.

The question raised regarding audiovisual media coverage of parliamentary action raises a number of issues and expectations: Does it only include an increase in the time limit of the transmission of sessions? Will the sessions be transmitted after they had been recorded and edited in a way that focuses on some issues or MPs more than others?

What is the agenda and work focus of this specialized channel? Will it only transmit sessions, declarations and official parliamentary visits or is it part of a total system of “Parliamentary Information”? The lattes tries to elicit public consciousness regarding the regulations and practices of parliamentary democracy in the country concerned (Egypt) and the world. It also involves a critical analysis of parliament’s performance addressed to both listeners and MPs. Other questions asked are: Who runs this information channel?

Is it parliament itself or a group of specialized media professionals or a joint team? What are the means of assessing viewers and MPs evaluations of the performance of this channel? All this, plus other questions are raised. The following is an attempt at (clearly defining) crystallization of the framework for the creation of a parliamentary information channel in the Arab world:

There are many sources of parliamentary information such as active newspapers, specialized centers of research, increasing radio and television coverage. Despite this, the level of parliamentary consciousness is still limited, whether that is intentional – a critical view of parliament itself – or not, or the result of the lack of information and experience. This is why the first task of this parliamentary channel is to work on widening information sources and developing knowledge of parliamentary life. Based on this premise, it should achieve three principle tasks which are:

(1) Data Rounding off and Spread of Information: The parliamentary channel is a modern and fast method to round off data and spread parliamentary information. It is possible for this highly sophisticated method to be an internal communication medium only, within parliament’s framework. It can also be internal and external, by linking it to the internal communication networks. In any case, this task is related to the important data in parliamentary action. The data in question here are the facts, figures and statistics that have to do with the degree of monitoring or legislative initiative of parliamentarians or the results of the local or international general elections, or the decrees and recommendations produced by regional or international parliaments, or even the dates of parliamentary sessions and its committees i.e. similar to a virtual newsletter being constantly updated.
What is meant by facts here are use the knowledge and data of some significance which are expected to have a direct effect on the behavior of the individual.
The channel can play a part in this educational role of both viewers and MPs regarding parliamentary practice and democratic life. It can do this by introducing the activities of other parliaments in the world, and presenting the works and recommendations of the International Parliamentary Union which plays a vital role in developing parliamentary institutions in the modern world, particularly in the area of democratic transformation.

(2) Developing the Parliamentary Behavior of MPs: The behavioral tendencies of individuals are usually affected by a number of variables most important of which are the knowledge and information to which they are exposed and which are available to them. The more homogeneous, purposeful and linked to a cultural framework (adapted to the social environment), this knowledge and information are, the more they become a means to develop and enhance the individual’s social behavior. The members of parliament usually represent the various groups and sectors of society. Naturally, it is expected to find differences in the experiences of members regarding parliamentary life in general and legislative action in particular. This is not only from the angle the degree of knowledge of the constitutional and legal frameworks for parliamentary action, but also from the perception and understanding of the basis of popular representation and interaction with government institutions in a political system.

From here, it becomes necessary to bridge the cultural and other differences between MPs and create a purposeful impact in their behavior. The end would be a common aim for the public good.
The parliamentary channel can play a role in creating such a purposeful impact identifying parliamentary regulations, in general, and indicating the proper use and application of these regulations.
Examples of this are: The identification of the duties, responsibilities and rights of an MP, particularly in vital matters, such as the conditions for the use of the various parliamentary monitoring tools (questions, declarations, suggestions, investigations, discussions). Another example is the explanation of the regulations and procedures of the legislative process, such as the request to speak, the presentation of a project proposal, the wish to review a matter, the ratification of covenants and international agreements, the nature of party commitment, the regulations regarding formation of political parties, electoral laws and the supervisionary role of the judiciary over laws.

(3) The Support of a Legislative Decree: Modern organizations rely on up to date information systems regarding decision making. Whether they are political, economic or other they do this because the decision makers belonging to them are either short of information or have vague and imprecise knowledge or suffer from such an excess of it that he cannot analyze it and reformulate it.
It follows that the importance of the parliamentary channel increases as a source of support to decision making. It opens the door to discussion and permits the exchange of ideas and experiences over the issues presented to parliament, before a decision is taken. It also proposes the possible present and future alternatives to the different decisions taken (eg: anticipating the possible reaction to a law, could prevent many of its dangers and future controversy regarding it).
The more available the views and analysis are to the decision maker, the more he can – theoretically at least – know what to expect regarding a decision he takes. The legislative decree also follows this rule. It may be one of the areas where information systems are most useful in the support and service of decision making. Sometimes parliament has to choose between a number of alternatives in a very short time and with very little information, either because it is difficult to obtain or because the subject is new or has arisen suddenly.
The parliamentary channel can supply MPs with information to enable them to take decisions in such circumstances and choose between the various alternatives. Thus legislative decrees are taken after MPs have analyzed the facts and elements behind them despite adverse conditions. The parliamentary channel thus becomes not only a means to inform citizens on how things are taking place in parliament, but also represents a bastion to support the parliamentary decision itself.
This is why the sources feeding the channel with information, knowledge and vision should be widened to enable it to present it to parliament in the following way:

The strategic aim for developing the parliamentary channel is therefore: the provision of an additional chance to use information and scientific analysis in the process of creation of parliamentary decisions. This takes place through the use of a modern technique capable of attracting new users of its services and having great capacities to present information to these users and update its data. Consequently, this new technique becomes a meeting point for all information sources available in parliament.

It is suggested that the parliamentary channel include three major types of parliamentary data information and analyses namely:
(1) The Affairs of Parliament, such as :
1. Agendas of the general sessions, and committee meetings.
2. Important meetings of the leader of parliament and party leaders and heads of parliamentary blocs.
3. Activities of MPs which are of a parliamentary nature (their legislative initiatives, monitoring activity…)
(2) Political and constitutional issues such as :
1. Parliament activities of legislative, monitoring and financial nature.
2. Parliamentary precedents
3. Cooperation between parliament’s two houses (if any)
4. The relations between the legislative institution and government
5. The most important constitutional regulations; important judgements of the higher constitutional court and major items in parliament’s internal regulations.
(3) Information and Analyses. Information here means:
1. Statistics and figures and quantitative expressions having significance and importance (such as the situation of the national economy, the state of investment, the rates of population growth…)
2. The most important local and international events (eg., important conferences, the situation in the Middle East, general elections in the world).
3. Analysis of issues raised in parliament.

From the beginning, it should be made clear that a parliamentary channel is a dynamic method of information, working according to the givens of the present and the aims of the future. It follows, that it should be constantly developed. But, this development should not occur in vacuum or be the reflection of the convictions and visions of few individuals, even if they are the ones overseeing its work. The needs and requirements of the recipients of its services should be taken into account (the public and MPs). It should include appropriate mechanisms by which the recipients can assess its work so that it can be developed on the basis of objective criteria and a scientific measure of its performance.

There are two complementary methods of assessing performance, either of which should not be excluded. The first is of a technical nature and in a limited scope and involves the creation of a steering committee composed of media people, MPs, technical staff and experts which meet periodically to follow up on its work. The second involves constant contact with the recipients through opinion polls or open programs in which the public participates and which is followed by an analysis of the public responses, and making the necessary recommendations in response to them. This channel could then become a means to support transparency and parliamentary development and change in the Arab World.