Select Committee
Encyclopedia
A select committee is a committee
made up of a small number of parliamentary members
appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster system
of parliamentary democracy. Select committees exist in the British Parliament
, as well as in other parliaments based on the Westminster model, such as those in Australia
and New Zealand
.
In the United Kingdom
, Departmental Select Committees came into being in 1979, following the recommendations of a Procedure Select Committee, set up in 1976, which reported in 1978. It recommended the appointment of a series of select committees covering all the main departments of state, with wide terms of reference, and with power to appoint special advisers as the committees deemed appropriate. It also suggested that committee members should be selected independently of the party whips, as chosen by the Select Committee of Selection. The 14 new committees began working effectively in 1980.
Committees can be appointed, as most are, from the House of Commons, like the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, from the House of Lords
, like the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, or as a "Joint Committee
" drawn from both, such as the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform. (Note that the Intelligence and Security Committee
is not a select committee, though it contains members from both houses. It is a unique committee of parliamentarians appointed by the Prime Minister and reporting to him or her, not Parliament.) The Commons Select Committees are generally responsible for overseeing the work of government departments and agencies, whereas those of the Lords look at general issues, such as the constitution or the economy. Both Houses have their own committees to review drafts of European Union directive
s.
s. Most Bills are referred, since the 2006-07 session, to public bill committees, and before that, there were Standing Committee
s.
In July 2005, the Administration Select Committee
was instituted, replacing the five Domestic Committees which had been responsible for the consideration of services provided for the House in the Palace of Westminster
from 1991 to 2005. The new committee thus deals with issues as diverse as catering services, the House of Commons Library
, computer provision, and visitor services.
The Osmotherly Rules
set out guidance on how civil servants should respond to Parliamentary select committees.
Some English local authorities also have a select committee system, as part of their Overview and Scrutiny
arrangements.
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
made up of a small number of parliamentary members
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
appointed to deal with particular areas or issues originating in the Westminster system
Westminster System
The Westminster system is a democratic parliamentary system of government modelled after the politics of the United Kingdom. This term comes from the Palace of Westminster, the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom....
of parliamentary democracy. Select committees exist in the British Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, as well as in other parliaments based on the Westminster model, such as those in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Departmental Select Committees came into being in 1979, following the recommendations of a Procedure Select Committee, set up in 1976, which reported in 1978. It recommended the appointment of a series of select committees covering all the main departments of state, with wide terms of reference, and with power to appoint special advisers as the committees deemed appropriate. It also suggested that committee members should be selected independently of the party whips, as chosen by the Select Committee of Selection. The 14 new committees began working effectively in 1980.
Committees can be appointed, as most are, from the House of Commons, like the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, from the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, like the Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee, or as a "Joint Committee
Joint committee
A Joint Committee is a term in politics that is used to refer to a committee made up of members of both chambers of a bicameral legislature. In other contexts, it refers to a committee with members from more than one organization.-Republic of Ireland:...
" drawn from both, such as the Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform. (Note that the Intelligence and Security Committee
Intelligence and Security Committee
The Intelligence and Security Committee is a committee of parliamentarians appointed by the Prime Minister to oversee the work of the Intelligence machinery of the United Kingdom...
is not a select committee, though it contains members from both houses. It is a unique committee of parliamentarians appointed by the Prime Minister and reporting to him or her, not Parliament.) The Commons Select Committees are generally responsible for overseeing the work of government departments and agencies, whereas those of the Lords look at general issues, such as the constitution or the economy. Both Houses have their own committees to review drafts of European Union directive
European Union directive
A directive is a legislative act of the European Union, which requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving that result. It can be distinguished from regulations which are self-executing and do not require any implementing measures. Directives...
s.
Select committees of the Commons
Rarely, there are also select committees of the Commons (and sometimes Joint Standing Committees) that are tasked with the detailed analysis of individual BillBill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
s. Most Bills are referred, since the 2006-07 session, to public bill committees, and before that, there were Standing Committee
Standing Committee (UK)
In the British House of Commons, public bill committees consider Bills – proposed Acts of Parliament. The House of Lords does not have such committees, as Bills are usually considered by the House as a whole....
s.
In July 2005, the Administration Select Committee
Administration Committee
The Administration Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It has a remit "to consider the services provided for and by the House of Commons"...
was instituted, replacing the five Domestic Committees which had been responsible for the consideration of services provided for the House in the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
from 1991 to 2005. The new committee thus deals with issues as diverse as catering services, the House of Commons Library
House of Commons Library
The House of Commons Library is the library and information resource of the lower house of the British Parliament. It has adopted the phrase "Contributing to a well-informed democracy" as a summary of its mission statement.- History :...
, computer provision, and visitor services.
The Osmotherly Rules
Osmotherly Rules
The Osmotherly Rules, named for their author, a civil servant in the Machinery of Government Division of the British Cabinet Office named E.B.C. Osmotherly, are a set of internal guidelines specifying how government departments should provide evidence to Parliamentary select committees...
set out guidance on how civil servants should respond to Parliamentary select committees.
Some English local authorities also have a select committee system, as part of their Overview and Scrutiny
Overview and Scrutiny
Overview and Scrutiny is a function of local authorities in England and Wales. It was introduced by the Local Government Act 2000 which created separate Executive and Overview and Scrutiny functions within councils....
arrangements.
See also
- List of Committees of the United Kingdom Parliament
- Select Committees in the New Zealand Parliament
- Select or special committeeSelect or special committeeA select or special committee of the United States Congress is a congressional committee appointed to perform a special function that is beyond the authority or capacity of a standing committee. A select committee is usually created by a resolution that outlines its duties and powers and the...
External links
- Committees UK Parliament
- Select Committee of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
- Selectcommittees.co.uk by ePolitix.com
- Democracywiki Unlock Democracy