Copyright lankabusinessonline
A high-level delegation from the Parliament of Sri Lanka is undertaking a four-day visit to the United Kingdom this week to strengthen bilateral parliamentary relations, share experiences, and discuss ways to improve governance through Parliament. The delegation includes (Dr) Jagath Wickramaratne MP, Speaker of Parliament, (Dr) Nalinda Jayatissa MP, Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip, Harshana Nanayakkara MP, Minister of Justice and National Integration and President of the UK-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association, Saroja Savithri Paulraj MP, Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians' Caucus, and Hansa Abeyratne, Assistant Secretary General of Parliament. The visit, facilitated by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and funded by UK International Development, focuses on institutional frameworks and practices that promote transparency, accountability, and effective legislation. A key area of focus is post-legislative scrutiny (PLS) – the practice of reviewing laws after they have been passed to assess their effectiveness and ensure they deliver intended outcomes for citizens. The delegation is engaging with UK parliamentarians, committee staff, and oversight bodies to understand how PLS strengthens governance, including on anti-corruption. The delegation will also meet ministerial counterparts in the UK government to discuss ongoing UK-Sri Lanka cooperation, including Seema Malhotra MP, Minister for the Indo-Pacific at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
