This document provides an overview of the role and function of select committees in the UK House of Commons. It discusses how select committees examine government policy, scrutinize departments and legislation, and hold ministers accountable. The summary describes the typical inquiry process committees undertake, including initiating inquiries, gathering written and oral evidence, drafting reports, and receiving government responses. It also outlines the support and resources available to committees, including specialist staff and the ability to call witnesses and commission research.

1. PUBLIC BILL SEMINAR
An introduction to the
House of Commons Select
Committees
Marion Ferrat
Committee Specialist
19 June 2014

2. The role of Parliament
2
• Examining and challenging the work of the
Government (scrutiny)
• Debating and passing all laws (legislation)
• Enabling the Government to raise taxes

3. Committees
3
• Select Committees: report on a range of subject
areas including the work of Government
departments.
• Joint Committees: consist of MPs and Lords.
• General Committees (including Public Bill
Committees): look at proposed legislation in detail.
• Grand Committees: Three in the Commons, that look
at questions on Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland. Grand Committees in the Lords debate Bills
outside the Lords Chamber.

4. 4
• Departmental select committees: Examine
spending, policies and administration in each
Government department
• Cross-departmental committees: e.g. Public
Accounts or Environmental Audit
• Domestic committees: concerned with internal
matters e.g. administration of the House itself or
allegations about the conduct of individual MPs
• Liaison Committee: oversight role – made up of all
33 Chairs of select committees
Commons Select Committees

5. 5
• Examine spending, policies and administration in
each Government department
• Consist of at least 11 Members (MPs) from different
political parties (according to the proportion of MPs
each Party has in the House)
• Aim to work consensually across party lines
• Since 2010, Chair elected by whole House, other
members appointed by their parties
Departmental Select Committees

6. Role and Task of Committees
• Examine Government policy proposals and deficiencies
• Examine department’s actions and administration
• Monitor associated bodies
• Scrutinise major appointments
• Scrutinise draft bills
• Examine implementation of legislation
To hold Ministers and Departments to account for their
policy and decision-making and to support the House in its
control of the supply of public money and scrutiny of
legislation

7. 7
• Meet once or twice a week
• Majority of work is based on subject-specific
“inquiries”: written and oral evidence from experts
• Other work includes pre-/post-legislative scrutiny,
pre-appointment hearings, seminars, commissioning
research, and sending substantive correspondence
Committee work

8. • Choose inquiry topic
• Internal scoping exercise
• Announce inquiry, terms of reference and call for
evidence (2-12 weeks)
• Sometimes appoint special advisors
• Hold oral evidence sessions and go on visits
• Draft, amend and agree report
• Publish report (sometimes press launch)
• Government response, usually within 60 days
8
The inquiry process

9. 5. Government reply
3. Report preparation
1. Inquiry initiation
2. Evidence gathering
The inquiry process
4. Report publication

10. POST
Media
Library Specialist
advisers
National
Audit
Office
Scrutiny
Unit
Members’
knowledge
STAKEHOLDERS
WITNESSES
COMMITTEE
Committee sources of information

11. • Major inquiries (> 5 evidence sessions) on topics or
legislative scrutiny
• Short inquiries (<5 evidence sessions)
• One-off evidence sessions e.g. pre/post appointment
hearings, Ofgem review of policy
• Other activities e.g. correspondence, seminars,
committee visits
11
What Select Committees do

12. 12
Support for Select Committee inquiries:
• 2 x Clerks – procedure expert, manages committee
work programme and inquiries
• 1-2 x Committee specialists – subject experts, manage
and advise on inquiries
• 2-3 Administrative staff – admin, processing evidence
and reports, updating website and much more
• Media officer
Receive written submissions, call witnesses, appoint
special advisers for inquiries
Committee staff

13. 13
Evidence sessions

14. 14
Select Committees in action!

15. • Ideas from Members
• Ideas from staff
• Ideas from the public (e.g. through general
correspondence)
• Suggestions from other sources
15
How inquiries are decided

16. Many ways!
• Submitting evidence
– Written
– Oral
• Contact with staff (informal)
• Specialist Adviser (formal)
• Work placement?
Engaging with Select Committees

17. 17
• Engage with Committee staff (contact details on the
websites)
• Watch out for announcements after Committee
meetings
• Provide written evidence (deadlines can sometimes
be negotiated)
• Briefings on likely line of questioning for oral
evidence
• Use our reports and evidence as a resource
Engaging with Select Committees

18. Recent ECC Committee inquiries
• Carbon Capture and Storage
(May 2014 – awaiting Government
response)
• Local Energy (August 2013)
• Energy Prices, Profits and Poverty (July 2013)
• Smart meter roll-out (July 2013)
• Economics of Climate Change (November 2013)

19. Current ECC Committee inquiries
• IPCC 5th Assessment Review
• Low Carbon Innovation
• The Green Deal
• Small Nuclear Power
• Network Costs

20. ... Any Questions?
Marion Ferrat
Committee Specialist
Energy and Climate Change Committee
ferratm@parliament.uk
020 7219 3092