The watchdogs of 'Washminster' – parliamentary scrutiny of executive patronage in the UK. Issue 2 (3rd April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Matthews, Felicity; Flinders, Matthew
• Is Part Of: Commonwealth & comparative politics. Volume 53:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 153
• Page End: 176
• Publication Date: 2015-04-03
• Subjects: patronage -- control -- scrutiny -- delegation -- executive -- legislature; Comparative government -- Periodicals; Institutions politiques comparées -- Périodiques; 320.9171241
• DOI: 10.1080/14662043.2015.1013295
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1466-2043

Abstract

Abstract : The role of legislatures in scrutinising executive patronage has received scant attention in the context of parliamentary democracy. This article addresses this lacuna by focusing on the parliamentary scrutiny of public appointments in the UK. Presenting the results of an extensive programme of research, it reveals how select committees have accrued increasing powers to challenge ministerial appointments, and how this has resulted in a series of unintended consequences that raise critical concerns regarding the overall added-value of pre-appointment scrutiny. The article is therefore of comparative significance for theories of legislative scrutiny in particular and executive–legislature dynamics more broadly.