Committees

• Types of committees

  • Select committees (permanent in the HOC and form most committees)
  • Joint committees(Lords and Commons)
  • General committees( Public Bill committee's
  • Grand Committees (Regional)
• Roles of Committees

  • Policy - examine the policy of departments and making proposals
  • Implementation - holding departments accountable for the implementation of committees recommendations
  • Administration - examining the administration of departments
  • Expenditure - informing the HOC of the spending and performance of departments
  • Matters of public concern - considering important issues, actions of organisations and individuals with power
• Departmental select committees

  • Focus on one particular part of government
  • Example: home affairs select committee scrutinises the home office
• Non departmental select committees

  • Liaison committee: made up of all the chairs of select committees and twice a year it questions the PM
  • Public accounts committee: looks into gov spending to make sure it's getting value for tax payers money
  • Public administration and constitutional affairs committee: examines constitutional issues and the role of the civil service
• How are select committee chairs chosen

  • House allocates particular committee chairs to specific parties
  • Speaker of the HOC writes to the party leaders following the election. The speaker allocates the amount of chairs that will be allocated to each party which reflects the leaders strength in the house
  • Membership of the committees is now votes for by the party not awarded by party whips
• Advantage of committee chairs being elected by peers not whips

  • Chair candidates don't have to please the whips who have allegiances with their party so they can freely criticise gov departments
• How effective are committees

  • 1997-2010 committees have made 40,000 recommendations
  • Estimated that 40% of committee recommendations are accepted
• General committees

  • HOC regularly proposes legislation in detail
  • This committee allows for a faster processing of bills and is unique to the HOC: lords meet as a whole house
  • 17 members selected by a select committee
  • Proportion of members reflects the strength of political parties in the commons