Foreign Affairs Select Committee

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The Foreign Affairs Select Committee is one of many select committees of the British House of Commons, which scrutinises the expenditure, administration and policy of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. [1]

Contents

Inquiries

The Foreign Affairs Committee carries out many inquiries, and publishes a variety of reports, including an annual Human Rights Report. During its inquiry into the government's decision to invade Iraq, David Kelly famously gave evidence to the committee on 15 July 2003, two days before his death.

In 2015 through 2016 the committee conducted an extensive and highly critical inquiry into the British involvement in the Libyan Civil War. It concluded that the early threat to civilians had been overstated and that the significant Islamist element in the rebel forces had not been recognised, due to an intelligence failure. By summer 2011 the initial limited intervention to protect Libyan civilians had become a policy of regime change. However that new policy did not include proper support and for a new government, leading to a political and economic collapse in Libya and the growth of ISIL in North Africa. The report concluded that the former Prime Minister David Cameron was ultimately responsible for this British policy failure. [2] [3] [4]

Membership

Following the 2024 United Kingdom general election, chairs and member of committees are yet to be appointed. [5]

2019-2024 Parliament

The chair was elected on 29 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020. [6] [7] In 2022 Tom Tugendhat stepped down as the chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee after assuming a ministerial role as Minister for Security. He was replaced by Alicia Kearns.

MemberPartyConstituency
Tom Tugendhat (Chair) Conservative Tonbridge and Malling
Chris Bryant Labour Rhondda
Chris Elmore Labour Ogmore
Alicia Kearns Conservative Rutland and Melton
Stewart McDonald Scottish National Party Glasgow South
Ian Murray Labour Edinburgh South
Andrew Rosindell Conservative Romford
Bob Seely Conservative Isle of Wight
Henry Smith Conservative Crawley
Royston Smith Conservative Southampton Itchen
Graham Stringer Labour Blackley and Broughton

Changes 2019-2024

DateOutgoing Member
& Party		Constituency→New Member
& Party		ConstituencySource
11 May 2020 Chris Elmore MP (Labour) Ogmore → Neil Coyle MP (Labour) Bermondsey and Old Southwark Hansard
Ian Murray MP (Labour) Edinburgh South Claudia Webbe MP (Labour) Leicester East
5 January 2022 Claudia Webbe MP (Independent) Leicester East → Liam Byrne MP (Labour) Birmingham Hodge Hill Hansard
7 September 2022 Tom Tugendhat MP (Chair, Conservative) Tonbridge and Malling →Vacant Hansard
12 October 2022 Alicia Kearns MP (Conservative) Rutland and Melton →Vacant Hansard
Vacant Alicia Kearns MP (Chair, Conservative) Rutland and Melton
29 November 2022Vacant→ Saqib Bhatti MP (Conservative) Meriden Hansard
9 January 2023 Stewart McDonald MP (SNP) Glasgow South → Drew Hendry MP (SNP) Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Hansard
12 September 2023 Drew Hendry MP (SNP) Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey → Brendan O'Hara MP (SNP) Argyll and Bute Hansard
11 November 2023 Chris Bryant MP (Labour) Rhondda → Dan Carden MP (Labour) Liverpool Walton Hansard
Fabian Hamilton MP (Labour) Birmingham Hodge Hill Claudia Webbe MP (Labour) Leeds North East
11 December 2023 Saqib Bhatti MP (Conservative) Meriden → Ranil Jayawardena MP (Conservative) North East Hampshire Hansard

2017–2019 Parliament

The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017. [8] [9]

MemberPartyConstituency
Tom Tugendhat (Chair) Conservative Tonbridge and Malling
Ian Austin Labour Dudley North
Chris Bryant Labour Rhondda
Ann Clwyd Labour Cynon Valley
Mike Gapes Labour Ilford South
Stephen Gethins Scottish National Party North East Fife
Nus Ghani Conservative Wealden
Ian Murray Labour Edinburgh South
Andrew Rosindell Conservative Romford
Royston Smith Conservative Southampton Itchen
Nadhim Zahawi Conservative Stratford-on-Avon

Changes 2017–2019

DateOutgoing Member
& Party		Constituency→New Member
& Party		ConstituencySource
2 February 2018 Nus Ghani MP (Conservative) Wealden → Priti Patel MP (Conservative) Witham Hansard
Nadhim Zahawi MP (Conservative) Stratford-on-Avon Bob Seely MP (Conservative) Isle of Wight
19 March 2019 Ian Austin MP (Independent) Dudley North → Conor McGinn MP (Labour) [lower-alpha 1] St Helens North Hansard
Mike Gapes MP (Change UK) Stratford-on-Avon Catherine West MP (Labour) [lower-alpha 1] Hornsey and Wood Green
  1. 1 2 Unusually, this motion was debated by the House. It was objected to by Austin and Gapes, since they perceived it to be retaliation by Jeremy Corbyn for their comments on antisemitism while they were still in the Labour Party. The change was approved by 199 votes to 134. [10]

2015–2017 Parliament

The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 8 July 2015. [11] [12]

MemberPartyConstituency
Crispin Blunt (Chair) Conservative Reigate
John Baron Conservative Basildon and Billericay
Ann Clwyd Labour Cynon Valley
Mike Gapes Labour Ilford South
Stephen Gethins Scottish National Party North East Fife
Mark Hendrick Labour and Co-op Preston
Adam Holloway Conservative Gravesham
Daniel Kawczynski Conservative Shrewsbury and Atcham
Yasmin Qureshi Labour Bolton South East
Andrew Rosindell Conservative Romford
Nadhim Zahawi Conservative Stratford-on-Avon

Changes 2015–2017

DateOutgoing Member
& Party		Constituency→New Member
& Party		ConstituencySource
31 October 2016 Yasmin Qureshi MP (Labour) Bolton South East → Ian Murray MP (Labour) Edinburgh South Hansard

2010–2015 Parliament

The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010. [13] [14]

MemberPartyConstituency
Richard Ottaway (Chair) Conservative Croydon South
John Baron Conservative Basildon and Billericay
Menzies Campbell Liberal Democrats North East Fife
Ann Clwyd Labour Cynon Valley
Mike Gapes Labour Ilford South
Emma Reynolds Labour Wolverhampton North East
Andrew Rosindell Conservative Romford
Frank Roy Labour Motherwell and Wishaw
John Stanley Conservative Tonbridge and Malling
Rory Stewart Conservative Penrith and The Border
David Watts Labour St Helens North

Changes 2010–2015

DateOutgoing Member
& Party		Constituency→New Member
& Party		ConstituencySource
2 November 2010 Emma Reynolds MP (Labour) Wolverhampton North East → Bob Ainsworth MP (Labour) Coventry North East Hansard
18 June 2012 David Watts MP (Labour) St Helens North → Mark Hendrick MP (Labour and Co-op) Preston Hansard
20 May 2013 Bob Ainsworth MP (Labour) Coventry North East → Sandra Osborne MP (Labour) Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Hansard
30 June 2014 Rory Stewart MP (Conservative) Penrith and The Border → Nadhim Zahawi MP (Conservative) Stratford-on-Avon Hansard

Chairs

ChairPartyConstituencyTerm of officeElectors
Anthony Kershaw Conservative Stroud 3 May 19791 January 1987 Committee
David Howell Conservative Guildford 1 January 198721 March 1997
Donald Anderson Labour Swansea East 16 July 199712 July 2005
Mike Gapes Labour Ilford South 18 July 200512 April 2010
Richard Ottaway Conservative Croydon South 10 June 201030 March 2015 Commons
Crispin Blunt Conservative Reigate 18 June 20153 May 2017
Tom Tugendhat Conservative Tonbridge and Malling 12 July 20176 September 2022
Alicia Kearns Conservative Rutland and Melton 12 October 2022Incumbent

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Foreign Affairs Committee". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 September 2021. The Foreign Affairs Committee examines the expenditure, administration and policy of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and other bodies associated with the Foreign Office
  2. ↑ "MPs attack Cameron over Libya 'collapse'". BBC News. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  3. ↑ Patrick Wintour (14 September 2016). "MPs deliver damning verdict on Cameron's Libya intervention". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  4. ↑ Libya: Examination of intervention and collapse and the UK's future policy options (PDF). Foreign Affairs Committee (House of Commons) (Report). UK Parliament. 6 September 2016. HC 119. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  5. ↑ kelly, Richard (3 July 2024). "What happens in the Commons after the general election?". UK parliament .
  6. ↑ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 670. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 29 January 2020.
  7. ↑ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 672. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 2 March 2020.
  8. ↑ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 627. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2017.
  9. ↑ "Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 628. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 11 September 2017.
  10. ↑ "Foreign Affairs Committee". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 656. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 19 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 597. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 18 June 2015.
  12. ↑ "Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 598. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 8 July 2015.
  13. ↑ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 511. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 June 2010.
  14. ↑ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Vol. 513. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2010.
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