Closed and Coopted? Parliamentary Oversight when Security is at Stake

Abstract

Access to information is vital to the exercise of democratic scrutiny. At the same time, some democratic policies require secrecy. Particularly in the realm of security policy, to ensure that democratic principles are heeded, parliaments are informed behind closed doors. In the area of foreign policy, some parliaments choose to refuse access to secret information to retain their freedom to debate matters openly, whilst others have established ‘gangs’ of various sizes that get privileged access to information, but with heavy strings attached. We invite papers analysing the practice and consequences of closed oversight. What characterises such procedures, what causes variation, and how does closed procedures impact on the ability and willingness of actors to exercise scrutiny and control?