Committee of Selection (House of Commons)

Last updated

The Committee of Selection is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Unlike the Commons' other select committees, the Committee of Selection exists by virtue of the House's Standing Orders for Private Business, its rules for bills that affect only specific organizations or individuals. [1] Despite that, the committee is best known for appointing members of committees established under resolutions of the House and the Standing Orders for Public Business.

Contents

Members of the Committee of Selection are nominated by a motion tabled and moved by a member of the Government. In the same way, the Government also nominates members to the Liaison Committee, the Committee on Standards, the Committee of Privileges, and committees established by a temporary standing order, although on occasion the Committee of Selection has been tasked with performing such nominations. [2] As the Committee of Selection is not covered by Standing Order No. 122B, [3] its chair is chosen by the members of the committee itself unless the House orders otherwise. [4]

After the non-Chair members of other select committees have been chosen via elections within each party, [5] a motion setting out membership of each committee is tabled and moved on behalf of the Committee of Selection by one of its members. [2]

With few exceptions, notably the Committee of Selection itself, the standards committee, the privileges committee and the Liaison Committee, only members of the committee acting on its behalf may nominate new members to committees or propose the discharge of members. Appointments to select committees are made through motions put before the House of Commons, while appointments to general committees (such as public bill committees) are made by the committee's own authority. [6] With respect to private business, all private bills are automatically referred to the committee, which in turn either refers unopposed bills to the Unopposed Bill Committee and refers opposed bills to committees whose members it also appoints. [1]

Role in the selection of public bill committees

The Committee of Selection performs a crucial, yet often overlooked function in scrutinising legislation. The current structure of the committee is dominated by party whips. This means that the government effectively chooses which MPs will scrutinise its bills. Advocates of reform highlight that the current organisation of the committee means that MPs who are subject specialists or may hold views contrary to the leadership of their party can be kept off public bill committees. Suggested reforms include limiting the number of whips that can serve on the committee and allowing MPs a vote on public bill committee nominations. [7]

Current members

Members are elected at the beginning of each session. As of October 2024 the committee's membership is as follows: [8]

MemberPartyConstituency
Jessica Morden MP (chair) Labour Newport East
Samantha Dixon MP Labour Chester North and Neston
Chris Elmore MP Labour Bridgend
Vicky Foxcroft MP Labour Lewisham North
Rebecca Harris MP Conservative Castle Point
Tom Morrison MP Liberal Democrats Cheadle
Joy Morrissey MP Conservative Beaconsfield
Jeff Smith MP Labour Manchester Withington
Mark Tami MP Labour Alyn and Deeside

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Lords</span> Upper house of the UK Parliament

The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest institutions in the world, its origins lie in the early 11th century and the emergence of bicameralism in the 13th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Commons of the United Kingdom</span> Lower house of the UK Parliament

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 members known as members of Parliament (MPs), who are elected to represent constituencies by the first-past-the-post system and hold their seats until Parliament is dissolved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliament of the United Kingdom</span> Supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster in London. Parliament possesses legislative supremacy and thereby holds ultimate power over all other political bodies in the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories. While Parliament is bicameral, it has three parts: the sovereign, the House of Lords, and the House of Commons. The three parts acting together to legislate may be described as the King-in-Parliament. The Crown normally acts on the advice of the prime minister, and the powers of the House of Lords are limited to only delaying legislation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)</span> Presiding officer of the House of Commons

The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the lower house and primary chamber of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, was elected Speaker on 4 November 2019, following the retirement of John Bercow. Hoyle began his first full parliamentary term in the role on 17 December 2019, having been unanimously re-elected after the 2019 general election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand House of Representatives</span> Sole chamber of the New Zealand Parliament

The House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the New Zealand Parliament. The House passes laws, provides ministers to form the Cabinet, and supervises the work of government. It is also responsible for adopting the state's budgets and approving the state's accounts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huw Irranca-Davies</span> Deputy First Minister of Wales since 2024

Ifor Huw Irranca-Davies is a Welsh Labour and Co-operative politician who has served as Deputy First Minister of Wales since August 2024, and as Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs since March 2024. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ogmore since 2016. Irranca-Davies was previously the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ogmore from 2002 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom</span>

The parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom are committees of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Each consists of a small number of Members of Parliament from the House of Commons, or peers from the House of Lords, or a mix of both, appointed to deal with particular areas or issues; most are made up of members of the Commons. The majority of parliamentary committees are select committees. The remit of these committees vary depending on whether they are committees of the House of Commons or the House of Lords.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Select committee (United Kingdom)</span> Parliamentary committee in the UK

In British politics, parliamentary select committees are cross-party groups of MPs or Lords which investigate specific issues or scrutinise the work of the Government of the United Kingdom.

The Committee of Public Accounts is a select committee of the British House of Commons. It is responsible for overseeing government expenditures, and to ensure they are effective and honest. The committee is seen as a crucial mechanism for ensuring transparency and accountability in government financial operations, having been described by Professor the Lord Hennessy as "the queen of the select committees...[which] by its very existence exert[s] a cleansing effect in all government departments".

The committees of the Australian Senate are committees of Senators, established by the Australian Senate, for purposes determined by that body. Senate committees are part of the operation of the Australian parliament, and have for some decades been involved in maintenance of government accountability to the Australian parliament, particularly through hearings to scrutinise the budget, and through public inquiries on policy questions.

The Welsh Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Wales Office, as well as relations with the Senedd. The members of the committee are usually Welsh MPs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Affairs Select Committee</span>

The Scottish Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, and relations with the Scottish Parliament. It also looks at the administration and expenditure of the Advocate General for Scotland.

The Education Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Education and any associated public bodies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Act of Parliament (United Kingdom)</span> Primary legislation in the United Kingdom

An Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom is primary legislation passed by the UK Parliament in Westminster, London.

The Business and Trade Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for Business and Trade, and any departmental bodies.

The Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen McPartland</span> British politician

Stephen Anthony McPartland is a former British Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Stevenage from 2010 to 2024. He is the author of the McPartland Review into Cyber Security as an enabler of Economic Growth, is a strategic consultant and non-executive specialist in risk, governance, cyber security and digital sustainability.

A delegated legislation committee (DLC) is a general committee of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom that allows for debate of a statutory instrument, Church Measure, or other forms of delegated legislation which have been laid before the House of Commons. With respect to statutory instruments, it differs from the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments and Commons Select Committee on Statutory Instruments in that those committees only scrutinise certain technical aspects of them. By contrast, DLCs provide a forum for discussing the merits of proposed instruments. They do not approve or reject delegated legislation, but merely debate it on a motion "That this committee has considered" the legislation. A statutory instrument or measure debated in a DLC is not normally later debated on the House floor; rather, a vote is taken without debate if one is sought.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Zealand House of Representatives committees</span>

Committees of the New Zealand House of Representatives are subsets of the New Zealand House of Representatives which deal with specific tasks delegated to them by the House. The functions of committees include scrutinising draft legislation (bills), conducting inquiries into subjects within their expertise, receiving public comment on matters before them, and overseeing the operation of the public service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Parliament of Singapore</span> Current Parliament of Singapore

The 14th Parliament of Singapore is the current Parliament of Singapore. It opened on 24 August 2020. The membership was set by the 2020 Singapore General Election on 10 July 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 House of Commons Standing Order (Private Business) 109–111
  2. 1 2 "Nomination of members". Erskine May - UK Parliament. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Standing Orders of the House of Commons (Public Business) 2024". UK Parliament. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  4. ↑ "Election of Chairs by the House". Erskine May - UK Government. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "Election of select committee chairs and members in the House of Commons". Institute for Government. 8 August 2024. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  6. ↑ Standing Orders (Public Business) 85 & 86
  7. ↑ House of Commons – Political and Constitutional Reform Committee – Revisiting Rebuilding the House: the impact of the Wright reforms
  8. ↑ "Committee of Selection". UK Parliament. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.