David Coombes – författare

The Member of Parliament and the Administration (1966) looks at some vital aspects of the work of the backbench Member of Parliament. It is based on an intensive study, undertaken by documentary research and interviews, of the Select Committee on Nationalized Industries, for a decade from its inception in 1956. This Committee was one of the chief means by which the nationalized industries were made accountable to Parliament.

The Member of Parliament and the Administration (1966) looks at some vital aspects of the work of the backbench Member of Parliament. It is based on an intensive study, undertaken by documentary research and interviews, of the Select Committee on Nationalized Industries, for a decade from its inception in 1956. This Committee was one of the chief means by which the nationalized industries were made accountable to Parliament.

Politics and Bureaucracy in the European Community (1970) examines the European project’s key institution, the Commission, an assessment that also examines the basic principles on which the European Union is based. It reveals the Commission to be one of the most curious and interesting political institutions of our time – not only from the point of view of international organization, but also as a special kind of governmental institution: a ‘responsible bureaucracy’ or ‘independent officialdom’.

Politics and Bureaucracy in the European Community (1970) examines the European project’s key institution, the Commission, an assessment that also examines the basic principles on which the European Union is based. It reveals the Commission to be one of the most curious and interesting political institutions of our time – not only from the point of view of international organization, but also as a special kind of governmental institution: a ‘responsible bureaucracy’ or ‘independent officialdom’.

State Enterprise (1971) examines nationalized industries and their political control. It looks at their objectives, and the guidance given to the politicians tasked with running these industries, as well as the qualifications needed, and the performance demanded of them. Many of the contributions to the debate about government–board relations in the nationalized industries were made by economists, but the author concludes, through a thorough analysis of the attempt to apply new methods of economic decision-making, that the results of this debate have not done much to settle the basic problems of running nationalized industries.

State Enterprise (1971) examines nationalized industries and their political control. It looks at their objectives, and the guidance given to the politicians tasked with running these industries, as well as the qualifications needed, and the performance demanded of them. Many of the contributions to the debate about government–board relations in the nationalized industries were made by economists, but the author concludes, through a thorough analysis of the attempt to apply new methods of economic decision-making, that the results of this debate have not done much to settle the basic problems of running nationalized industries.

After 1978 the European Communities had a budget financed wholly from sources of income belonging to the Communities themselves. The Power of the Purse in the European Communities (1972) examines the constitutional principles this raises, as well focusing on the nationalist versus federalist approaches to Communities’ institutions, and the political and economic ramifications of the expanded role and powers of the European Parliament.

After 1978 the European Communities had a budget financed wholly from sources of income belonging to the Communities themselves. The Power of the Purse in the European Communities (1972) examines the constitutional principles this raises, as well focusing on the nationalist versus federalist approaches to Communities’ institutions, and the political and economic ramifications of the expanded role and powers of the European Parliament.

The Power of the Purse (1976) puts the alleged decline of parliaments’ ‘power of the purse’ to the test. Fourteen experts – political scientists, economists, public lawyers – examined different aspects of parliamentary control of the budget in six European states: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherland and Switzerland. They show a great deal of variation from one country to another, but all agree in finding this aspect of parliament’s role a problematic one with important practical implications for the effectiveness of government.

The Power of the Purse (1976) puts the alleged decline of parliaments’ ‘power of the purse’ to the test. Fourteen experts – political scientists, economists, public lawyers – examined different aspects of parliamentary control of the budget in six European states: Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherland and Switzerland. They show a great deal of variation from one country to another, but all agree in finding this aspect of parliament’s role a problematic one with important practical implications for the effectiveness of government.