c. 18 Backbenchers (e.g. Champion on Criminal Justice and Courts Bill), cross party MPs but microcosmic of the HoC makeup, commission of whips devcide who will be on it.
Role
Examine a proposed bill line by line and propose amendments and clarifications
Successes
2015 study - a signficiant number of gov amendments resulted from the influence of external expert witnesses
Failures
Governing party less likely to listen to amendments created by the opposition party e.g. Champion's amendment rejected
Failures
2015 - non gov amendmments success rate is 1%
Failures
Most MPs vote with party line - whips choose the most obedient MPs
