HOUSE OF LORDS - United Kingdom Parliament

11.18 Committees are given the power to “send for persons, papers and
records”. Ordinarily witnesses attend and documents are produced
voluntarily. However, the existence of this power means that, should it be
necessary to issue a formal summons for the attendance of witnesses or
the production of papers, the chairman may put a motion before the
committee, that such a summons be issued. The issuing of a summons is
to be used as a last resort, and only where a witness has refused
repeated invitations, and his or her evidence is vital to an inquiry in
progress. Refusal to attend in response to a formal summons would be
reported to the House as a prima facie contempt. 1
11.19 Members or staff of the House of Commons, and persons outside
United Kingdom jurisdiction (such as foreign ambassadors), may give
evidence by invitation, but cannot be compelled to do so. If a committee
desires to examine an officer of the House of Commons, a message is
sent requesting the official’s attendance, and the leave of the House of
Commons must be obtained. No such messages are sent in respect of
joint committees or committees on private bills, nor in respect of
Members of the House of Commons. 2
11.20 Committees on private business have authority to hear parties by
counsel or on oath but other committees do not have this authority
unless authorised to do so by the House. 3
11.21 An order “that the minutes of evidence taken from time to time
shall, if the committee think fit, be published” gives the committee power
to print evidence, or make it available online, 4 in advance of its report.
11.22 A committee may be given other powers including:
power to appoint specialist advisers;
power to “adjourn from place to place”, i.e. to travel.
11.23 Select committees have the power to confer and meet
concurrently with any committee or sub-committee of the Commons
appointed to consider a similar matter. Such meetings can be held to
1 Procedure 1st Rpt 2008–09.
2 Commons SO 138.
3 SO 66.
4 Procedure 2nd Rpt 2006–07.
215