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Select committee (United Kingdom)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A select committee meeting in Portcullis House

In British politics, parliamentary select committees are cross-party groups of MPs or Lords which investigate specific issues or scrutinise the work of the Government of the United Kingdom.[1]

Committees often open investigations, called inquiries, into topics within their remit. As part of these inquiries they gather information from government officials and interested people, groups, and organisations. At the end of inquiries they often publish a report with their findings. The government must issue a written response to each select committee report.[2]

They can be appointed from the House of Commons, from the House of Lords, or as a joint committee of Parliament drawn from both. Committees may be as "sessional" committees – i.e. be near-permanent – or as "ad-hoc" committees with a specific deadline by which to complete their work, after which they cease to exist.

The Commons select committees are generally responsible for overseeing the work of government departments and agencies, whereas those of the Lords look at general issues, such as the constitution, considered by the Constitution Committee, or the economy, considered by the Economic Affairs Committee.

Following the 2024 United Kingdom general election, most of the new chairs of the 26 select committees were elected in September 2024.[3]

Some English local authorities also have a select committee system, as part of their Overview and Scrutiny arrangements.

History

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Specialised committees of investigation had existed within Parliament since the Tudor period and the system of committees was further developed during the mid-1960s by Richard Crossman as Leader of the House of Commons.

In the United Kingdom, the modern system of departmental select committees came into being in 1979, following the recommendations of a 1978 Procedure Select Committee report.[4] It recommended the appointment of a series of select committees covering all the main departments of state, with wide terms of reference, and with power to appoint specialist advisers as the committees deemed appropriate. It also suggested that committee members should be selected independently of the party whips, as chosen by the Select Committee of Selection. The fourteen new committees began working in 1980 after the 1979 general election.[5]

The Backbench Business Committee was created in 2010 as a non-ministerial committee to cover non-government business, following recommendations from the Reform the House of Commons report under the Wright Committee.[6][7]

Other changes occurring as a result of recommendations by the Wright Committee included limiting the number of members per committee to 11, requiring those members and chairs to be appointed to their positions by the House, and a reduction in the number of committees.

In the House of Commons

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Following the dissolution of parliament that preceded the 2024 election, all select committees were disbanded.[8] The House of Commons allocated which parties would hold each Chair in advance of the summer recess on 30 July 2024.[9] Nominations for Chairs ran until 9 September. Ballots took place on 11 September.[10]

Departmental select committees

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Committee Chair Responsibility
Name Since
Business and Trade Select Committee Liam Byrne 2023 Department for Business and Trade and related bodies
Culture, Media and Sport Committee Caroline Dinenage 2023 Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Defence Select Committee Tan Dhesi 2024 Ministry of Defence
Education Select Committee Helen Hayes 2024 Department for Education and related bodies
Energy Security and Net Zero Select Committee Bill Esterson 2024 Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and related bodies
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee Alistair Carmichael 2024 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and associated bodies
Foreign Affairs Select Committee Emily Thornberry 2024 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and associated bodies
Health and Social Care Select Committee Layla Moran 2024 Department of Health and Social Care and related bodies
Home Affairs Select Committee Karen Bradley 2024 Home Office and related bodies
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee Florence Eshalomi 2024 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
International Development Select Committee Sarah Champion 2020 Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and associated bodies
Justice Select Committee Andy Slaughter 2024 Ministry of Justice, related agencies including the Crown Prosecution Service, and other agencies that report to the Lord Chancellor
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Tonia Antoniazzi 2024 The work of the devolved government and the Northern Ireland Office
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee Chi Onwurah 2024 Government Office for Science, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and related bodies
Scottish Affairs Committee Patricia Ferguson 2024 The work of the devolved government and the Scotland Office
Transport Select Committee Ruth Cadbury 2024 Department for Transport
Treasury Select Committee Meg Hillier 2024 Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs
Welsh Affairs Select Committee Ruth Jones 2024 The Wales Office and UK Government policies which impact Wales
Women and Equalities Select Committee Sarah Owen 2024 The Government Equalities Office and policies which affect equality law and policy
Work and Pensions Select Committee Debbie Abrahams 2024 Department for Work and Pensions

Topical select committees

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Committee Chair Responsibility
Name Since
Environmental Audit Select Committee Toby Perkins 2024 Examines the contribution of government policies to environmental protection and sustainable development
Liaison Committee Examines the work of select committees in general, as well as hearing annual evidence from the Prime Minister
Public Accounts Select Committee Geoffrey Clifton-Brown 2024 Examines government and parliamentary expenditure to ensure honesty and fairness
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee Simon Hoare 2024 Examines the work and administration of the Civil Service, as well as reports from the Parliamentary Ombudsman
Select Committee on Statutory Instruments Examines all statutory instruments laid before the Commons
Petitions Jamie Stone 2024 Oversees petitions submitted to Parliament

Internal select committees

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Committee Chair Responsibility
Name Since
Administration Committee Examines the services offered to members of the Commons, as well as services offered to the public
Backbench Business Committee Bob Blackman 2024 Determines business to be debated at certain times set aside for backbenchers
Finance Committee Examines the budget and expenditure of the House of Commons, including the administration budget
Committee on Standards Alberto Costa 2024 Oversees Parliamentary standards and members' interests and conduct
Committee of Privileges Considers specific matters relating to privileges referred to it by the House
Procedure Committee Cat Smith 2024 Examines the practice and procedures of the Commons in dealing with public business
Committee of Selection Recommends the appointment of members to parliamentary committees

History

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The post-1979 system is made up of three main types of committee. Departmental committees shadow each of the main government departments – for example the Education Select Committee shadows the Department for Education. A number of committees work on general themes which are not the responsibility of any single department – for example, the Science and Technology Select Committee, and Women and Equalities Select Committee. Another group of committees deal with the internal affairs of the House (for example, the Procedure Select Committee and Standards and Privileges Select Committee).

Rarely, there are also select committees of the Commons (and sometimes joint standing committees) that are tasked with the detailed analysis of individual bills. Most bills are referred, since the 2006–07 session, to public bill committees, and before that, there were standing committees.[11]

The chairs of (the majority of) select committees have been elected by the house as a whole since June 2010: before that the members were appointed by their parties and chairs voted on solely by those members.[12][13]

The chairs of committees are allocated to political parties on the basis of their numerical strength in the House of Commons. Negotiations between party managers determine which party will hold which committee chair. By convention, the Public Accounts Committee is chaired by a member of the main opposition party, while the Treasury Select Committee is chaired by a member of the governing party. The remaining places on the committee are allocated in proportion to the numerical strength of the parties in the House of Commons. These positions are filled by votes conducted within party caucuses.[11] This means that positions on select committees are only ever contested among members of the same party. The standard number of members on a departmental committee is 11, although some committees such as Public Accounts have a larger membership.

In July 2005, the Administration Select Committee was instituted, replacing the five 'domestic' committees which had been responsible for the consideration of services provided for the House in the Palace of Westminster from 1991 to 2005. It deals with issues as diverse as catering services, the House of Commons Library, digital services provision, and visitor services.[14]

In the House of Lords

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The House of Lords has a set of five major select committees:

These committees run inquiries into and publish reports on topics within their remit. The European Union Committee also scrutinises EU legislation and other EU proposals, as well as conducting inquiries.

Procedure and rules governing their work

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Select committees in the House of Commons are governed by the Standing Orders.[15] The powers of departmental select committees are set out in standing order 152.[16]

The Osmotherly Rules set out guidance on how civil servants should respond to parliamentary select committees.[17]

Following general elections, chairs and members of select committees have to be reappointed.[18]

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A select committee evidence session is featured in season 3, episode 5 of Industry (TV series). In the episode, Robert is sent to represent Pierpoint as part of the committee's inquiry into the collapse and bailout of Lumi, a green energy tech company.

A 2015 select committee inquiry into the Horizon computer system features in Mr Bates vs The Post Office.[19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Marshall, Joe. "Select committees". Institute for Government. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Lords select committees". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Select committee Chair elections". UK Parliament. UK Parliament. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  4. ^ Flinders, Matthew (March 2019). "'The Effectiveness and Influence of the Select Committee System Inquiry' Submission of Evidence to the Liaison Committee". UK Parliament. UK Parliament. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  5. ^ Jones et al. (2001) Politics UK 4th Edition, pp. 359–363
  6. ^ "Select Committees". UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Rebuilding the House" (PDF). UK Parliament Publications. House of Commons Reform Committee. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Select Committees: What happens when Government Departments change?". www.hansardsociety.org.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  9. ^ Commons, House of (30 July 2024). "Order Paper for Tuesday 30 July 2024".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Far-right thugs hijack Southport vigil". POLITICO. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b Norton, Philip (2013). Parliament in British Politics. Basingstoke: PalgraveMacmillan.
  12. ^ Results of elections for select committee chairs announced - News from Parliament - UK Parliament. Parliament.uk (10 June 2010). Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
  13. ^ House of Commons - Rebuilding the House - House of Commons Reform Committee. Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved on 12 August 2013.
  14. ^ Role - Administration Committee - UK Parliament. Parliament.uk.
  15. ^ "Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  16. ^ "152. Select committees relating to government departments". Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 2024. UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  17. ^ Gay, Oonagh (4 August 2005). "The Osmotherly Rules (Standard Note: SN/PC/2671)" (PDF). Parliament and Constitution Centre, House of Commons Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 May 2009. Retrieved 22 May 2009.
  18. ^ Kelly, Richard (3 July 2024). "What happens in the Commons after the general election?". UK parliament.
  19. ^ Geiger, Chas. "Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi plays himself in Post Office scandal TV drama". BBC News. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
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