Election of Chair
8 September 2010
At the JCHR’s first meeting, on 8 September, Dr Hywel Francis MP was appointed as the new Chair of the Joint Committee.
At the same meeting, the Committee also agreed its general approach to scrutiny of legislation and of human rights judgments. More information about the Committee’s future work in these areas will be provided in separate press notices, and on the Committee’s website.
Publication of the Committee’s First Report, Session 2010-11:
The Committee will publish its First Report, 'Work of the Committee in 2008–09: Government Response to the Committee’s Second Report of Session 2009–10; Legislative Scrutiny (Finance Bills and Academies Bill)' [HC 459], on Wednesday 15 September at 11a.m.
The report will be available from The Stationery Office (tel: 0870 600 5522), Parliamentary Hotline Lo-call 0845 7 023474, Email: book.orders@tso.co.uk, Internet: http://www.tso.co.uk/bookshop, TSO shops, The Parliamentary Bookshop, 12 Bridge Street, London SW1A 2JX (tel 020 7219 3890) and through good booksellers. Reports are also available on the Committee’s website at the address below on the day of publication.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Dr Hywel Francis has been the MP for Aberavon since June 2001. He has had a longstanding interest in human rights and equality issues, notably in the field of disability, carers and education. His Private Member’s Bill, which became law as the Carers Equal Opportunities Act in 2004, was a landmark piece of legislation in identifying carers’ rights. He was the founder and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Carers Group in the last Parliament and has been an officer of a number of Parliamentary Disability Groups including Muscular Dystrophy and Downs Syndrome. Prior to entering Parliament Dr Francis was Professor of Continuing Education at Swansea University where he pioneered widening access strategies for disadvantaged adult students including the development of the Community University of the Valleys. As chair of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs (2005-2010) Dr Francis was responsible for initiating or overseeing a number of inquiries involving equality and human rights issues including health, education, broadcasting, devolution and prisons.
The full membership of the Committee can be found on the Membership page.
Contact details for Committee staff are also available.