Select Committees are a well-established part of the UK’s political landscape. This paper by Constitution Society research fellow Lucy Atkinson is based on the qualitative responses from practitioners as well as historical research. The author examines the development of select committees, their powers, and how the role of select committees has shifted in recent times. The author identifies areas for improvement, and concludes with recommendations to enable select committees to advance their existing commitment to reform.
This publication presents the personal views of the author and not those of The Constitution Society, which publishes it as a contribution to debate on this important subject.