Minutes of Proceedings The Home Affairs Committee

The Home Affairs Committee: Membership and Powers

   The Home Affairs Committee is appointed to examine on behalf of the House of Commons the expenditure, administration and policy of the Home Office and associated public bodies; the policy, administration and expenditure of the Lord Chancellor's Department (including the work of staff provided for the administrative work of courts and tribunals, but excluding consideration of individual cases and appointments); and the administration and expenditure of the Attorney General's Office, the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Serious Fraud Office (but excluding individual cases and appointments and advice given within government by Law Officers). The Committee's constitution and powers are set out in House of Commons Standing Order No. 152.

       The Committee has 11 Members, of whom the quorum is three. The Members of the Committee are appointed by the House and, unless discharged, remain on the Committee until the next dissolution of Parliament. The present membership of the Committee is as follows:[1]

          Mr Robin Corbett MP (Labour, Birmingham Erdington) (Chairman)[2]
Mr Ian Cawsey MP (Labour, Brigg and Goole)[3]
Mrs Janet Dean MP (Labour, Burton)[4]
Mr Michael Fabricant MP (Conservative, Lichfield)[5]
Mr Gerald Howarth MP (Conservative, Aldershot)[6]
Mr Martin Linton MP (Labour, Battersea)[6]
Mr Humfrey Malins MP (Conservative, Woking)[6]
Bob Russell MP (Liberal Democrat, Colchester)[7]
Mr Marsha Singh MP (Labour, Bradford West)[6]
Mr Paul Stinchcombe MP (Labour, Wellingborough)[8]
Mr David Winnick MP (Labour, Walsall North)[6]

       The Committee has powers to require the submission of documents, to examine witnesses and to publish reports to the House accompanied by the evidence it has gathered. The Committee may meet at any time (except when Parliament is prorogued or dissolved) and may hold meetings away from Westminster. The Committee may meet concurrently with other committees or sub-committees established under Standing Order No. 152 for the purposes of deliberating, taking evidence or considering draft reports. The Committee may meet concurrently with the House's European Scrutiny Committee (or any of its sub-committees) or the Environmental Audit Committee for the purposes of deliberating or taking evidence. The Committee may exchange documents and evidence with any of these committees, as well as with the House's Public Accounts and Deregulation Committees. The Reports and evidence of the Committee are published by The Stationery Office by Order of the House. All Reports of the Committee, including published evidence, together with press notices issued by the Committee are available on the Committee's home page at
www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/hmafhome.htm
on the Internet. All correspondence should be addressed to the Clerk of the Home Affairs Committee, Committee Office, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general inquiries is: 020 7219 3276; the Committee's e-mail address is [e-mail]

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1  Mr Richard Allan (Liberal Democrat, Sheffield Hallam) was appointed on 16 July 1997 and discharged on 8 June 1998; Mr Ross Cranston (Labour, Dudley North) was appointed on 16 July 1997 and discharged on 9 November 1998; Mr Nick Hawkins (Conservative, Surrey Heath) was appointed on 2 March 1998 and discharged on 26 July 1999; Rt Hon Douglas Hogg (Conservative, Sleaford and North Hykeham) was appointed on 16 July 1997 and discharged on 2 March 1998; Ms Beverley Hughes (Labour, Stretford and Urmston) was appointed on 16 July 1997 and discharged on 9 November 1998; Miss Melanie Johnson (Labour, Welwyn Hatfield) was appointed on 9 November 1998 and discharged on 1 February 1999; and Mr Chris Mullin (Chairman until 19 October 1999) was appointed on 16 July 1997 and discharged on 6 December 1999.Back
2  Appointed on 16 July 1997 and elected Chairman on 19 October 1999.Back
3  Appointed on 6 December 1999.Back
4  Appointed on 1 February 1999.Back
5  Appointed on 26 July 1999.Back
6  Appointed on 16 July 1997.Back
7  Appointed on 8 June 1998.Back
8  Appointed on 9 November 1998.Back

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Prepared: 8 February 2001