Select committees

• In 1979, a more extensive system of departmental select committees were set up to shadow the government
• Select Committees are often chaired by the opposition to maximise scrutiny and the composition of a select committee mirrors proportion of MPs from each party - 5 Conservative, 4/5 Labour, 1 Lib Dem and 1 from another opposition party
• Select committees oftem correspond a lot with the public and consult with experts when reviewing bills
• Select committees scrutinise government departments by establishing inquiries, gathering evidence and producing reports
• House of Lords Select Committees have wide briefs

  • Built Environment Committee (Chaired by Lord Maylan, Cons. since 2020)
  • Finance Committee (Chaired by Lord Vaux, Crossbench since 2017)
• House of Commons Select Committees focus on specific departments of the government to scrutinise

  • Public Accounts Committee - overviews how efficiently the government spends money on projects such as HS2, the cost of university technical colleges (UTCs) - the reason 10 of 58 UTCs closed
  • Committee on Selection - to nominate MPs to serve on general or select committees
• Public reports specialise on particular sectors of government - finance, standards, health and social care, HS2, Covid

  • Privileges Committee- partygate
  • Transport Select Committee - parking on pavements discouraged elderly from going out