HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

CHAPTER 11
SELECT COMMITTEES
11.01 The House may appoint committees to perform functions on its
behalf. All committees whose members are appointed (“named of the
Committee”) by the House from among its members are select
committees. 1
11.02 A select committee is appointed by “orders of appointment”
setting out the committee’s remit (“orders of reference”), powers and
membership, and naming a time and place for its first meeting. Typically, a
committee fulfils its remit by making one or more reports to the House.
11.03 A committee may be appointed to perform a particular task, on
completion of which the committee ceases to exist (an “ad hoc select
committee”). Alternatively a new committee may be appointed for a
specified period, such as the duration or remainder of a Parliament, or to
a particular date. A committee may be given continuing existence by
being reappointed session by session (a “sessional select committee”);
but the continued existence of such committees may be reviewed,
particularly at the start of a Parliament. 2 This chapter concludes with a list
of the committees currently reappointed session by session, with notes
on each.
Motions of appointment
11.04 A committee being set up for the first time is usually appointed by
means of two motions. The first, moved by the Leader of the House, sets
the orders of reference. This gives the House an opportunity to discuss
the desirability of setting up the new committee, and authorises the
Committee of Selection to select members. A second motion is then
moved, by the Chairman of Committees, to complete the orders of
appointment. Both motions require notice, and may be debated and
amended.
1 The following committees are not select committees: Committees of the whole House, Grand
Committees, unopposed private bill committees, and committees to prepare reasons for
disagreeing to Commons amendments to bills. The Ecclesiastical Committee and the
Intelligence and Security Committee are statutory bodies and not select committees.
2 Liaison 3rd Rpt 2005–06.
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