Select Committees

What is a select committee?

Select committees are cross-party groups made up of backbench MPs or Lords. They are formally mandated by parliament as a means of holding government to account. Most select committees are departmental committees, which scrutinise the work of each government department. In addition, there are cross-cutting committees that interrogate the work of all departments in relation to a particular thematic issue, such as the environment or public accounts.

Select committees can be located in the House of Commons or the House of Lords and in some cases so-called ‘joint committees’ are established with membership from both houses. Comparable committees also exist in the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish parliaments, with the purpose of scrutinising the work of the devolved administrations.

Most select committees are permanent bodies, though their membership and chairs change with every general election. The representation of political parties on the committees is generally proportional to the number of seats won in the most recent election. Select committees typically have up to 11 members who are supported in their work by a secretariat staff of about 9. Committee secretariates are headed up by a clerk and generally employ 2-3 specialists who are experts in the subject area of the committee.

What powers do select committees have?

Select committees can have significant impact on government policy and law. They hold government to account, raise awareness and build understanding around particular issues, get topics they investigate onto the government’s agenda, and influence decision-making processes. In some cases, the work of select committees is picked up by media, broadening the reach of their investigations.

To support their work, select committees can invite witnesses who are experts in the topic being investigated to give oral evidence, call for written inputs from stakeholders and request relevant papers and records. These sources help to inform the committees’ inquiry. While the government is not obliged to act upon committees’ findings or recommendations, they are expected to respond in writing to their reports within 60 days. This gives select committees the ability to regularly influence the agenda of national policymakers. Engaging with select committees is therefore an important route for stakeholders in the materials, minerals and mining sectors to promote their expertise.

 

How do select committees work?

Select committees typically work through inquiries into particular policy areas related to their mandate. Once an inquiry is launched, a call for input is published through which individuals, businesses and organisations can submit written evidence. A committee may receive anywhere from 30 to 150 submissions for a single inquiry and these will generally be published on the committee website.

In addition to receiving written evidence, committees usually hold multiple rounds of hearings over the period of several months. During these hearings committees call expert witnesses from academia, industry, civil society and government to give oral evidence on the inquiry topic.  These hearings are recorded and are available to the public online.

Based on the information gathered, the committee will typically produce a report outlining their findings and their recommendations to government. While the government will usually issue a response to the report within two months, their acceptance of committee recommendations varies significantly from case to case.

IOM3 engagement with select committees

IOM3 has done significant work with select committees. Some of the most relevant committees for the materials, minerals and mining sectors include the Built Environment Committee,  the Business and Trade Committee, the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee, the Environmental Audit Committee, Environment and Climate Change Committee, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee.

Based on the expertise of IOM3 members, we have submitted written evidence on issues such as workforce planning to deliver clean energy, green steel, the Building Safety Bill, the role of batteries and fuel cells in achieving net-zero, e-waste and the circular economy, and more.   

Moreover, our members have represented IOM3 as witnesses at committee hearings. For instance, in 2021, IOM3 Packaging Group Chair Jude Allan gave oral evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for its inquiry on plastic waste.

 

Contributing to IOM3 work on select committees

IOM3 engagement with select committees is based on the experiences and insights of our members across industry and academia. When inquiries relevant to materials, minerals and mining are launched, we notify our members on our Policy and Influence webpage, through our member newsletters and through the Technical Community Leadership Teams.

IOM3 can support members through the process of engaging with select committees, helping them to take full advantage of the opportunities available and ensuring that their expertise is highlighted in an impactful way. When members contribute to an inquiry as part of the IOM3 community, their insights are raised by a strong and respected voice for the materials, minerals and mining sectors. By demonstrating consensus across diverse stakeholders, the Institute can strengthen the impact of all member insights and forward a submission that is more than the sum of its parts.

To find out more or to get involved in IOM3 policy work, get in touch with the Policy team at
[email protected]