Statement by Chair of the Liaison Committee

I am delighted that the House has agreed a motion tonight endorsing the Liaison Committee’s report on effectiveness, resources and powers. It has been a good opportunity to bring select committee work to the floor of the House.

Members on all sides gave evidence of the effectiveness of committees and the ways in which they allow Members of different parties to work together to improve the quality of government and hold the powerful to account.

The terms of the motion are:  That this House welcomes the report of the Liaison Committee on Select Committee effectiveness, resources and powers, Second Report of Session 2012–13, HC 697 (PDF 1.18MB), and the responses to it, Third Report of Session 2012–13, HC 911 (PDF 870KB); welcomes the positive impact of the Wright reforms, particularly the election of committee chairs and members, on the effectiveness and authority of select committees; endorses the Committee’s recommendations for committee best practice and the revised core tasks for departmental select committees; looks forward to agreement on procedures for committee statements on the floor of the House and arrangements for debates on committee reports; agrees that co-operation from Government is crucial to effective scrutiny; and supports the Committee’s call for a new relationship between Parliament and Government, which recognises the public interest in greater accountability.