Select committee (United Kingdom)
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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]Topical select committees
[edit]| 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
[edit]| 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
[edit]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
[edit]The House of Lords has a set of five major select committees:
- The European Union Committee
- The Constitution Committee
- The Economic Affairs Committee
- The Science and Technology Committee (House of Lords)
- The Communications and Digital Committee
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
[edit]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]
In popular culture
[edit]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
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Marshall, Joe. "Select committees". Institute for Government. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Lords select committees". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "Select committee Chair elections". UK Parliament. UK Parliament. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Jones et al. (2001) Politics UK 4th Edition, pp. 359–363
- ^ "Select Committees". UK Parliament. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Rebuilding the House" (PDF). UK Parliament Publications. House of Commons Reform Committee. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
- ^ "Select Committees: What happens when Government Departments change?". www.hansardsociety.org.uk. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ Commons, House of (30 July 2024). "Order Paper for Tuesday 30 July 2024".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Far-right thugs hijack Southport vigil". POLITICO. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
- ^ a b Norton, Philip (2013). Parliament in British Politics. Basingstoke: PalgraveMacmillan.
- ^ Results of elections for select committee chairs announced - News from Parliament - UK Parliament. Parliament.uk (10 June 2010). Retrieved on 2013-08-12.
- ^ House of Commons - Rebuilding the House - House of Commons Reform Committee. Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved on 12 August 2013.
- ^ Role - Administration Committee - UK Parliament. Parliament.uk.
- ^ "Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business". UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ "152. Select committees relating to government departments". Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 2024. UK Parliament. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Kelly, Richard (3 July 2024). "What happens in the Commons after the general election?". UK parliament.
- ^ Geiger, Chas. "Tory MP Nadhim Zahawi plays himself in Post Office scandal TV drama". BBC News. Retrieved 20 October 2024.