Prime Minister Honourable Jeremiah Manele, MP, on Wednesday evening held a bilateral discussion with Lord Malcolm Bruce of the United Kingdom House of Lords at the British High Commission Residence, hosted by the British High Commissioner.
The discussions focused on shared parliamentary insights and the importance of strengthening support for Members of Parliament, ensuring that MPs can effectively balance national legislative responsibilities with the needs of their constituencies.
Lord Bruce is visiting Honiara from 2–6 February 2026 as part of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) programme. WFD has partnered with the National Parliament of Solomon Islands since November 2022 to support parliamentary accountability, transparency, and institutional development.
The meeting was marked by a candid exchange of lessons drawn from extensive careers in public service. Lord Bruce, who served as a Member of the UK House of Commons for more than three decades before his appointment to the House of Lords, shared insights into how structured parliamentary systems can help balance national legislative duties with constituency representation.
A key topic of discussion was the practical value of a Parliamentary Calendar, with both leaders noting that a predictable parliamentary schedule enables Members to plan their work and constituency travel in advance, reducing pressure to choose between parliamentary obligations and community engagement.
The Prime Minister further noted that, drawing on shared experiences highlighted by Lord Bruce, the effectiveness of parliamentary secretariats is a critical factor in ensuring that parliamentary committees function effectively.
Strong committees, supported by capable and well-resourced secretariats, were identified as essential to a well-performing and accountable parliament.
Prime Minister Manele highlighted that such discussions form part of ongoing efforts to ensure Solomon Islands MPs have access to international best practices.
This includes continued engagement with WFD, the rollout of forthcoming online learning resources for Members of Parliament, and follow-up consultations with those who participated in recent professional development visits to the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.
ENDS
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