4. We recommend that SO No.
134 (Select committees (reports)) be amended to read:
All select committees shall have
power:
(a) to authorise the clerk of the
committee to supply copies of their reports under embargo to such
persons as those committees consider appropriate after those reports
have been reported to the House; or
(b) to make known to any individual
whose conduct the committee intends to criticise the nature of
such criticism, before it has been reported to the House. (Paragraph
47)
5. The resources and expertise
of the Scrutiny Unit have very greatly helped committees undertake
the important work of scrutinising how taxpayers' money is spent
by departments and other public bodies. The Scrutiny Unit has
also enabled the Liaison Committee to develop a positive engagement
with the Treasury about the clarity of financial information published
by government. (Paragraph 64)
6. We
recommend that in future people appointed by ministers to paid
public office, whether subject to pre-appointment hearing or not,
be required to undertake (should they be or become members of
the House of Lords) not to refuse a request to give evidence to
a relevant Commons select committee. (Paragraph 81)
7. The Liaison Committee welcomed
the appointment of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards,
with the caveat that the resources for such a body should not
affect support for other committees. We believe that the House
should be prepared to set up such bodies again when the need arises
and that the necessary funds and planning should be prepared for.
(Paragraph 89)
8. We
recommend that Standing Orders be amended to enable committees
to make all decisions other than consideration of reports, which
they could properly make at quorate deliberative meetings through
any form of communication provided that all members have been
given sufficient notice and any decision is supported by a majority
of the committee. (Paragraph 98)
9. Select committees should
be able to arrange public meetings with interested parties without
taking oral evidence. (Paragraph 100)
10. There is a wider problem
which was also highlighted by the Wright Committee: a finite number
of backbenchers has to be spread over an increasing number of
select committees. The size and number of select committees remains
an issue. (Paragraph 104)
11. As the Wright Committee
recommended, departmental select committees should have a maximum
of 11 Members. (Paragraph 106)
12. The balance need not be
identical on each committee if the overall representation across
all committees was fair and proportionate. Otherwise there is
a risk of committees getting bigger and bigger to incorporate
Members from smaller parties—and spreading Members too thinly
over many committees. (Paragraph 107)
13. On the basis of experience
in the 2010-15 Parliament, our advice to new committees set up
in the next Parliament is:
a) Discuss amongst themselves and
with stakeholders the most effective working methods
b) Adopt a communication strategy
from the start of each inquiry
c) Make the best use of additional
funding to improve scrutiny
d) Harness opportunities of digital
technology and new media
e) Maintain quality of investigation,
rigour of questioning, depth of analysis and value of reports—in
order to:
i) extend longer-term beneficial
influence on government
ii) sustain reputation with
stakeholders and
iii) increase public understanding
of Parliament. (Paragraph 114)
14. Our principal conclusions
are:
a) The Wright reforms have worked
and should be retained and developed, with chairs continuing to
be directly elected by the whole House and Members elected within
parties
b) Public opinion, commentators
and academic critics have all recognised that select committee
work is the most constructive and productive aspect of Parliament
c) Public engagement has been achieved
on a large scale, with a wide range of people, giving oral and
written evidence, taking part in committee on-line consultations
or surveys, and drawing on committee reports on their work
d) Select committee scrutiny is
now part of the thinking of ministers and public bodies—it
is the context within which they operate—and has a continuing
effect in addition to the impact of specific recommendations
e) Prime Ministers' oral evidence
sessions with the Liaison Committee have become more effective
in scrutinising the influence No. 10 Downing Street exercises
in policy-making across government. (Paragraph 115)
