Download - House of Commons select committees
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Tom Healey, ClerkJoint Committee on the Palace of Westminster
July 2016
Select Committees in theHouse of Commons
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House of Commons: main roles
• Legislation: debating and passing laws– Public Bill Committees, delegated legislation committees
• Expenditure: enabling the Government to tax and spend
• Scrutiny: examining and challenging the work of the government– Parliamentary Questions– Debates– Select Committees
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Commons Select Committees
• Departmental: e.g. BIS, CLG, Defence, Home Affairs• Cross-cutting: e.g. Public Accounts, Environmental
Audit• “Scrutiny”: e.g. European Scrutiny, Regulatory Reform• Procedural: e.g. Petitions, Backbench Business• Domestic: Administration, Finance
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Commons Select Committees: functions
• “… to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the principal government departments …” (Departmental)
• “… for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure …” (Cross-cutting)
• “… to examine and report on every draft order laid before the House under … the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 …” (“Scrutiny”)
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Select Committee Members
Normally made up of 11 backbench MPs:
• a Chair, elected by secret ballot of the whole House;• ten other Members, nominated by their party after
internal elections
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Select Committee Secretariat
Clerk
Second Clerk
Specialist Inquiry Manager
Senior Committee Assistant
Committee Assistant
Media Officer
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Committee powers
Most Committees have the formal power:• to send for persons, papers and records;• to report from time to time;• to adjourn from place to place; and• to appoint specialist advisers.
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Committee powers
After a Report is published:
• Government response within two months.*
• Committee may schedule a debate in the House or in Westminster Hall.
• Further follow up, such as evidence from the Minister or a further inquiry.
*See Giving Evidence to Select Committees: Guidance for Civil Servants (Cabinet Office, 2014)
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The inquiry process
Call for evidence
Written evidence
Oral evidence Report
GovtResponse Debate
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Select Committee reports
• Rehearse the relevant evidence• Make conclusions• Set out recommendations to Government (and
sometimes others)
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Relationship with Government
Committees tend to take evidence from:• Ministers (sometimes from more than one department)• Senior Civil Servants
Many others are involved in Select Committee work:• Parliamentary branch (first point of contact)• Drafting written evidence, Government responses,
briefing for Ministers• OGDs
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The “Osmotherly Rules”
Giving Evidence to Select Committees: Guidance for Civil Servants (Cabinet Office, 2014)• Civil Servants are responsible to Ministers, and
Ministers are responsible to Parliament.• Guidance on provision of information.• Process for responding to Committee reports.
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Any questions?