Tom Healey, ClerkJoint Committee on the Palace of Westminster

July 2016

Select Committees in theHouse of Commons

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

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

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”)

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

Select Committee Secretariat

Clerk

Second Clerk

Specialist Inquiry Manager

Senior Committee Assistant

Committee Assistant

Media Officer

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.

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)

The inquiry process

Call for evidence

Written evidence

Oral evidence Report

GovtResponse Debate

Select Committee reports

• Rehearse the relevant evidence• Make conclusions• Set out recommendations to Government (and

sometimes others)

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

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.

Any questions?