house of lords select committees parliament explained event 160715

© House of Lords 2015

Aaron SpeerClerk of the Select Committee on Sexual Violence in Conflict16 July 2015

Parliament Explained:House of Lords procedure for select committees


Different types of select committee

Domestic

• Investigative• Legislative

Policy committees


Liaison Committee

Joint sessional

committees

Human Rights

National Security Strategy

Sessional committees

Communications

Constitution

Economic Affairs

Science & Technology

EU committees

EU Select Committee

Energy and Environment

Sub-Committee

External Affairs Sub-Committee

Financial Affairs Sub-Committee

Home Affairs Sub-

Committee

Internal Market Sub-Committee

Justice Sub-Committee

Ad hoc committees

Built Environment

Equality Act 2010 (post-

leg)

Sexual Violence in

Conflict

Social Mobility

Pre-leg committee

Investigative committees(cross-cutting andnon-departmental)


Select committees on delegated legislation (legislative committees)

• Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee– appropriate use of powers– draft Legislative Reform Orders

• Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments– looks at technicalities of all Statutory

Instruments• Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee

– policy merit– appropriateness/gold plating


Characteristics of Lords committees

“Cross-cutting” rather than departmental

Complement the Commons

Distinctive style

Consensual


Membership (unelected)

Usually 12 Members on each committee

General political balance (4 Lab, 4 Cons, 2 X-B and 2 LD). Government does not have a

majority

About 170 Members currently involved –

rotation rule = 3 sessions

Selected by Committee of Selection, on

nomination of Chief Whips and Convenor

of the Crossbenchers


The process of committee work

Investigation and

exploratory work;

seminars

Call for Evidence

Oral/written

evidence collected;

visits

Deliberation Report

Where time is tight some of these steps may be dispensed with or semi-combined, especially by

legislative committees.


Outcomes

Committees report to the House, but have a wider audience

Government response and debate

Impact

Evaluation and “follow-up”


Engaging with the work of select committees

Talk to committee

staff

Go and see a committee sitting, or watch a webcast

Subscribe to web alerts & follow us on

Twitter


A useful tool…

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/lordscommitteebulletin/





Session 2014-15: where we went


Any questions?

house of lords select committees parliament explained event 160715

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