The return of the magnificent Select Committees

25 Oct 2024

Jon McLeod and Samuel Piña look ahead to the reawakening of this key element of the Parliamentary machinery

It has been a while since we have last heard from our Parliamentary Select Committees, and now, three months after the 2024 General Election, they are  poised to return, reawakening their vital work scrutinising the Government to ensure accountability across all departments. These committees provide a platform for MPs to interrogate Ministers, executives, civil servants, businesses, and charities. The Committee Chairs were elected on 11th September, with a cohort of Parliamentarians taking leadership of their respective Committees for this new Parliament.

The principle is that the balance of Committee Chairs should reflect the party electoral share. As a result, Labour was assigned 18 Chairs, while the Conservatives were granted five, and the Liberal Democrats given three. In line with its manifesto commitment, Labour launched the new Modernisation Committee, chaired by Lucy Powell MP, Leader of the House, which will consider reforms to House of Commons “procedures, standards, and working practices”.

Committee membership is determined through internal party elections conducted by secret ballot, with Labour allocated 143 MP positions across the various committees. Research by LabourList indicated that more than four-fifths of these MPs were newly elected representatives. With such a large proportion of new MPs sitting in the Committees, it will be interesting to watch how stringently Labour members hold their own government to account. Politico has suggested that some Labour MPs are concerned the committee appointments may have disproportionately favoured those aligned with Starmer’s leadership.

Once the Conservatives wrap up their leadership election, they and the other parties will elect their MPs to fill the Committees. The possible (speculated) priorities of each Committee are outlined briefly below:

• Business and Trade: Development of a national growth strategy

• Culture, Media and Sport: Football regulation implementation and the voluntary sector compact

• Defence: Defence spending and The Strategic Defence Review

• Education: National Curriculum review and the higher education funding crisis

• Energy Security and Net Zero: COP29 preparation and the green transition

• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Water quality, food standards and farming industry support reforms

• Environmental Audit: Whitehall’s environmental performance

• Foreign Affairs: China policy development/ US and Global South relations

• Health and Social Care: The NHS conversation and future social care provision planning

• Housing, Communities and Local Government: National house building strategy and local government service delivery

• International Development: Aid budget management and development partnership effectiveness

• Justice: Courts system and probation service reform; prisons and sentencing

• Home Affairs: Policing and cutting crime

• Northern Ireland: Future of Northern Ireland under the Trade Cooperation Agreement

• Public Accounts: Stability of the public finances, capital projects over budget and COVID-19 spending investigation

• Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs: Standards in public life

• Science, Innovation and Technology: Global scientific competitiveness, keeping innovation onshore and AI regulation and development

• Scottish Affairs: Scottish devolution and the role of Scotland in Westminster developments

• Transport: Potholes, car insurance and rail network nationalisation

• Treasury: State of the public finances

• Welsh Affairs: Economic development initiatives in Wales and the state of the Welsh education and health service

• Women: Violence against women prevention, workplace equality and trans rights

• Work and Pensions: Employment rights provisions and pension system stability

Committees will soon be back in full swing by November 2024, issuing calls for evidence, kicking off inquiries sessions and quizzing industry experts as they gather evidence to formulate their scrutinising reports. Often, clients might find themselves invited by Committees to give oral evidence on topics that they hold expertise. These are intense, with witnesses sitting across from the Committee who will have prepared a series of grilling questions in order to draw out information on key issues.

This is where DRD can help. We assist clients prepare for their appearances, draft and provide political analysis on submissions and liaise with Select Committee members and staff when required. As a boutique agency, we can handle this in parallel with our communications team, ensuring that messages are aligned and thoroughly tested from all angles.

Approaching a Select Committee appearance

In general, there tends to be three distinct phases to any Select Committee engagement:

1. Background to appearance

Planning is indispensable. A high-profile Select Committee appearance that goes wrong can have widespread implications for a client, both reputationally and financially. DRD carries out extensive background research into the relevant issue to understand the motives of and political pressure on relevant players.

 2. Preparation for appearance

This involves:

• A high-level overview: DRD specialists will brief and talk a client through how a Select Committee hearing works a few weeks ahead of their appearance. The purpose is to ensure the client is fully prepared, so they can focus on effectively conveying their message without surprises on the day.

• Preparatory workshop session: We work through the key messages our clients want to communicate and how best to tackle difficult questions through a red-teaming exercise.

• Full dress rehearsal: DRD’s specialist staff will simulate a committee session, playing the roles of Committee Members. The purpose is to ask difficult and uncomfortable questions to test the client’s preparedness. One benefit of this is that the questioning can deviate in unexpected ways, based on responses, allowing us to explore new avenues for discussion and anticipate them appropriately.

3. Attendance and reaction

On the day of the Committee session, we would meet with the client ahead of their appearance for final tips and preparation before accompanying them to the Select Committee room to ensure they arrive smoothly. We would remain with them, sitting just behind them in the room, and can pass on notes of advice, if needed during their appearance. We would generally be accompanied by one of our media relations colleagues to manage the press lobby at the inquiry.

When to engage us

Whether you’re preparing for a committee appearance or seeking to engage with this vital aspect of parliamentary scrutiny, DRD’s experienced team stands ready to provide the strategic guidance, thorough preparation, and practical support needed to navigate these high stakes encounters effectively. Our comprehensive approach ensures clients are well-equipped to make meaningful contributions to these essential democratic proceedings.

Get in touch with DRD to explore how we can deliver tailored communications solutions to meet your strategic objectives.

Our clients are at the heart of everything we do, and we have built our business to provide an unwavering focus on their needs.