Committees are where much of the real scrutiny and detailed work of UK Parliament takes place. While debates in the Chamber attract attention, it is often in committee rooms that evidence is heard, policies are examined, and the detail of legislation is tested. For anyone seeking to influence policy, understanding committees is essential.
1. What Are Parliamentary Committees?
Committees are smaller groups of MPs, peers, or both, appointed to carry out specific tasks. They reflect the principle that parliament cannot effectively examine every issue in plenary sessions, so specialist groups are needed.
Committees have the power to:
- Take oral and written evidence, including from lobbyists and industry groups.
- Produce reports with recommendations to the government.
- Scrutinise legislation line by line.
- Hold ministers, civil servants, and external organisations to account.
2. Types of Committees
Commons Select Committees
- These are the most visible to lobbyists.
- Each major government department has a corresponding select committee (e.g. Defence, Health and Social Care, Treasury).
- Their role is to scrutinise departmental policy, spending, and administration.
- They can summon ministers, civil servants, and outside experts to give evidence.
- Reports they publish carry political weight and while the government is not obliged to accept recommendations, responses are required.
Other Commons Select Committees include:
- Public Accounts Committee: focuses on value for money in public spending.
- Procedure, Standards, Liaison: internal committees on how the Commons operates.
- Environmental Audit Committee: cross-cutting, looking at environmental impact across departments.
Lords Select Committees
- These tend to focus on long-term, cross-cutting issues rather than day-to-day departmental scrutiny.
- Examples include the Constitution Committee, Economic Affairs Committee, and Science and Technology Committee.
- The House of Lords' expertise often leads to influential reports that shape policy debates.
- It is in these committees that many believe peers bring their most value.
Joint Committees
- Made up of members from both Houses.
- Used where cross-house scrutiny is important, or where legislation requires specialist handling.
- Examples:
- Joint Committee on Human Rights
- Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy
- Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (technically a statutory committee, but joint in membership).
Public Bill Committees (Commons)
- Temporary committees formed to scrutinise legislation line by line.
- Named after the Bill they are considering (e.g. Finance Bill Committee).
- They dissolve once the Bill completes this stage.
Grand Committees & Other Commons Committees
- Grand Committees exist for Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, giving MPs from these nations additional space to debate.
- Other specialist bodies exist for internal functions, such as the Administration Committee or the Speaker's Committees.
3. Why Committees Matter for Lobbyists
- Direct Access: Committees frequently call for written and oral evidence. This is a direct route for organisations to influence the parliamentary record.
- Cross-Party Influence: Unlike the Commons chamber, committees often work consensually across party lines. A strong report from a committee can put real pressure on ministers.
- Visibility: Reports, hearings, and evidence sessions are published online. Media often pick up committee findings.
- Policy Development: Committees shape debate, even where government resists recommendations initially.