manchester conference 1.11.11 - select committees
TRANSCRIPT
What are Select Committees
What do they do?
How can you get involved in their work?
House of Commons:Cross party groups responsible scrutinising the ‘administration, expenditure and policy’ of Government departments.
House of Lords:Cross party groups of Peers that look at cross cutting and thematic policy issues.
Joint Committees:Cross-chamber groups of Parliamentarians that look at cross cutting and thematic policy issues.
Work carried out through public inquiries
Inquiries cover a huge range of issues
Inquiries are usually public led
You can get involved in an inquiry
Scrutinise policy proposals Examine areas of emerging & current
policy Scrutinise draft Bills & legislation Examine Departmental decisions Scrutinise expenditure plans Scrutinise public service agreements and
targets Monitor the work of agencies Scrutinise major appointments Scrutinise implementation of legislation
A key way in which Parliament holds Government to account.
Enables Parliament to examine key issues in great detail – more than debates or questions
Allows huge range of expertise to be applied to scrutiny
Independent minded
Can call for People, Papers, Records
Work and Pensions – Report of Health and Safety executive 2007
Work and Pensions – 2007-08 report on Child Poverty
Health Committee – 2009 Report on use of management consultants in NHS
Knife crime; Future of post offices; Cocaine; Regional media; NEET; Pub companies; Preventing violent extremism; defence equipment; low carbon technologies; dairy farmers of Britain; UK/US relations; Alcohol; Counter Terrorism; Assistance to Zimbabwe; Rebuilding the House; Banking Crisis; Appeals in the benefit system; Bioengineering
News events
Members
Legislation
Government policy & decisions
Finance and admin issues
Constituents
Members – between 8 and 16
Clerk
Committee assistant
Committee specialist
Secretary
Inquiry announced/ Call for EvidenceWritten evidence deadlineOral evidence stagesPublication of reportGovernment response
E-forums
Election of Chairs
Pre appointment hearings
Facebook and twitter pages
One-off oral evidence sessions
Public meetings around the country
Check terms of reference
Check deadline, format and word limit
Prepare original, specific material
Feel free to contact Clerk prior to submission
Should be self contained memorandum containing:
Executive summary Brief introduction to submitter Any factual information from which the
Committee may be able to draw conclusions
Any recommendations for action
www.parliament.uk/business/committees.cfm
Commons Information Office 020 7219 4272
Lords Information Office 020 7219 3107