Towards an ICT-based parliament - digital meeting service for the committees

Anne Rymer-RythénProject manager at the Riksdag (the Swedish parliament)

Background to digital meetings at the Riksdag• Project tablets in 2012

• Basis for a decision as to whether to buy tablets or not• To look into the benefits of 1) tablets in general 2) a digital meeting

service 3) a “Chamberapp”• Result: Decision to buy tablets but without the digital meeting service that

was tested in the project.

• Great demand from the MPs for digital meetings – decision to start feasibility study and then a project to develop and introduce a digital meeting service in all interested committees

Starting points for the project “Digital meeting service for the committees”

To assist the MPs To improve efficiency in committees To use modern technology To benefit the environment

Solution overview

The digital meeting service in the tablet

Start site in PDF expert

Documents for committee meetings

Committee folders

Meeting folder

Current meeting folder

Demonstration of a “Summons with links” with the agenda

Utskottssite (committee site).

Benefits for the MPs• The documents are available in a structured way both via tablets

and computers.• Historical documents easily available together with the their

individual original notes.• Supplements and presentations by visitors, e.g. Government

ministers, can be added together with the other documents.• The documents are available faster – not dependent on post

Other benefits• Enables the transition to digital processing of documents. • Environmental benefits and economising on working time at

the Secretariat when not printing

Confidential information• Confidential information is not dealt with in this service.• Still paper based

Current situation• The Committee on Transport and Communications have had digital meetings for

more than a year (since project tablet)

• Committees using the newly developed service are: the Committee on Industry and Trade, the Committee on Social Insurance, as well as The Committee on Transport and Communications.

• The Committee on Civil Affairs and the committee on Agriculture and Environment are starting at the end of November.

Evaluation and prospects for the future• Evaluation after pilot

• Mixed reactions. Some say “At last!”, others find it hard only to get electronic copies without receiving paper.

• Many find it very beneficial that they can add other documents and syncronise with the Riksdag servers.

• Evaluation done when they had just used the service a few times – people need time to get accustomed.

• All committees by the middle of March.

Kammarappen

“The Chamber app is an iPhone and iPad app that shows a selection of information adapted primarily for MPs, about what is happening, and when it is happening, in the Chamber.”

Always access to updated information• The Riksdag's in-house TV broadcasts from the Chamber• Schedule of meetings showing voting times and weeks when there are no

meetings of the Chamber• List of order papers and list of speakers• Schedule of business• Periods for submitting private members' motions• Most recent interpellations, questions and private members' motions• Debating rules