Minutes of Proceedings The Science and Technology Committee

The Science and Technology Committee is appointed to examine on behalf of the House of Commons the expenditure, administration and policy of the Office of Science and Technology (and any associated public bodies). Its constitution and powers are set out in House of Commons Standing Order No. 152.

   The Committee has a maximum of eleven members, of whom the quorum for any formal proceedings 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. At the Dissolution of the 1997 Parliament the membership of the Committee was:1

Dr Michael Clark MP (Conservative, Rayleigh)2

Sir Paddy Ashdown MP (Lib Dem, Yeovil)6
Dr Ian Gibson MP (Labour, Norwich North)2
Dr Brian Iddon MP (Labour, Bolton South East)5
Mr Robert Jackson MP (Conservative, Wantage)4
Dr Lynne Jones MP (Labour, Birmingham Selly Oak)2
Dr Ashok Kumar MP (Labour, Middlesborough South and East Cleveland)2
Mr Tony McWalter MP (Labour, Hemel Hempstead)7
Mr Ian Taylor MP (Conservative, Esher and Walton)3
Dr Desmond Turner MP (Labour, Brighton Kemptown)2
Dr Alan W Williams MP (Labour, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)2

On 30 July 1997, the Committee elected Dr Michael Clark as its Chairman.

The Committee has the power to require the submission of written evidence and documents, to examine witnesses, and to make Reports to the House.

The Committee may meet at any time (except when Parliament is prorogued or dissolved) and at any place within the United Kingdom. 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), the Environmental Audit Committee or the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology (or any of its sub-committees) 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 publications of the Committee (including press notices) are on the Internet at www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/s&thome.htm .
All correspondence should be addressed to The Clerk of the Science and Technology Committee, Committee Office, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA. The telephone number for general inquiries is: 020 7219 2794; the Committee's e-mail address is:
[e-mail] .

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1   Mrs Caroline Spelman MP (Conservative, Meriden) was appointed on 14 July 1997 and discharged on 22 June 1998. Mr David Atkinson MP (Conservative, Bournemouth) was appointed on 14 July 1997 and discharged on 30 November 1998.[back]
2   Appointed on 14 July 1997.[back]
2   Appointed on 30 November 1998.[back]
2   Appointed on 5 July 1999.[back]
2   Appointed on 20 March 2000.[back]
2   Appointed on 15 May 2001.[back]
2   Appointed on 13 March 2001.[back]

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Prepared: 22 June 2001