Access to reliable, timely information is integral to the effective and efficient functioning of the legislature in a democracy. Members of legislatures need information as they monitor and evaluate issues, develop policy options, predict consequences, and influence government decision-making.They need information in order to monitor the success of on-going programmes and/or to identify areas of weakness. The concept 'information' can be idefined as 'data that has been verified to be accurate and timely; is specific and organised for a purpose; is presented within a context that gives meaning and relevance; and that can lead to an increase in understanding and decrease in uncertainty'. A piece of information is valueless if things remain unchanged after the information has been received. Hence, the value of independent information lies in its ability to affect decision-making in the legislature. The legislature transa