A Parliament is the main legislative and democratic institution in a state. Its representatives are directly elected by the people to act on their behalf and to hold government accountable to the citizens.
One of the most fundamental functions of a parliament is to ensure that it has access to information about issues and opinions from the citizenry. This can be done through a range of means.
The most traditional way is through regular question sessions in plenary (sometimes known as a Question Time). These allow MPs to ask government ministers questions on any issue and are seen as a key way that Parliament holds the executive accountable. In recent years this has been complemented by the establishment of select committees, which are seen as more independent and effective.
This function has also been strengthened by a greater degree of transparency, including through the broadcasting of plenary proceedings and committee hearings (known as Hansard or the Congressional Record). This is especially important in countries that have recently transitioned to democracy, where it is seen as an essential symbol of the new transparent and accountable Parliament.
In addition, many parliaments have outreach offices that focus on communicating with the public and facilitating the flow of information to and from Parliament. This is sometimes referred to as Parliamentary Diplomacy. Finally, most parliaments give resources directly to their MPs and parliamentary groups to enable them to maintain contact with their constituents, through things such as running advice surgeries. This is seen as an important element of the parliamentary representative function, which must not be sacrificed in the name of budgetary restraint.
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