Departmental Select Committees In existence since 1979 Shadow Government departments Around 11 members in proportion to party composition of the House the TSC has 13 Across all the Committees Chairs are ID: 397139
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Slide1
The work of the Treasury Select CommitteeSlide2
Departmental Select Committees
In existence since 1979
Shadow Government departments
Around 11
members in proportion to party composition of the House – the TSC has 13Across all the Committees, Chairs are allocated in proportion to party strengthChairs elected by the House and Members elected by their parties since 2010 Generally aim for collaborative, consensual workingSlide3
Purpose and tasks
To examine the “expenditure, administration and policy” of the relevant Department and its associated public bodies
Most of this work is done through
inquiries and one-off public hearings
Other specific tasks:Scrutinise draft BillsScrutinise implementation of legislationPre-appointment hearingsCommittees meet in private as well as in public for certain purposesSlide4
Setting the Committee’s agenda
Ideas for inquiries or one-off evidence sessions come from a variety of sources, including:
MPs
’
interestsNew policy proposals from Government/EUThe public – eg. inquiry into the future of chequesBreaking news – eg. LIBORSlide5
Treasury Committee – specific tasks
Budget – report produced in time to inform parliamentary scrutiny of the Finance BillAutumn Statement
Spending Rounds
Quarterly
Inflation Reports of the Monetary Policy CommitteeSix-monthly Financial Stability Reports of the Bank of England Pre-appointment hearings – including the Governor of the Bank of EnglandSlide6
Departmental scrutiny and scrutiny of other public bodies
Annual session with HMT on the Treasury’s Annual Report and AccountsSub-committee regularly examines the performance of the Chancellor’s Departments,
such as HM Revenue & Customs or the Crown
Estate
Regular sessions with Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Office of Budget ResponsibilitySlide7
Gathering evidence
Committee staff undertake background research
Written evidence received:
from any organisation or individual, including the Department
quantity and quality varies considerably; important to try to fill gaps and reach beyond ‘the usual suspects’usually published online with reportguides the lines of enquiry and selection of witnesses for oral evidenceresearch can be commissioned, e.g. from NAODevising and agreeing the programme of oral evidence and visitsSlide8
Gathering evidence –
oral evidence sessions
Oral evidence session with the Chancellor, 12 December 2013Slide9
Oral evidence sessions
Usually held at Parliament
Committee can insist on witnesses’ attendance
Held in public, webcast and broadcast
Witnesses appear individually or in panelsQuestion and answer formatMPs given briefings and suggested questionsWitnesses are often given some warning of questionsThe last session of an inquiry will usually be with the Secretary of State or other Ministers
Evidence has the protection of Parliamentary privilege
Transcript is
publishedSlide10
Other ways of gathering evidence
The format of formal oral evidence sessions can be restrictive…
Study visits – home or abroad
Informal or private meetings
Web forumsOral evidence away from WestminsterOther formats for meetings: public discussion, presentationsSlide11
Producing and publishing a report
Discussion within
Committee about main themes and arguments
Conclusions and recommendations based on
written and oral evidenceChairman’s draftConsideration and agreement – Committees aim for consensusPress notice and publication – some Committees have launch eventsTiming is importantSlide12
Response and follow-up
Government must respond within 60 days
Response
usually published
by the CommitteeResponses vary; they can be formulaic and a ‘direct hit’ is rareOpportunities for debate in main chamber or Westminster HallReports can be ‘tagged’ as relevant to other debatesFollow-up sessions or even further inquiries may be held laterSlide13
TSC reports and impact
Financial Services Bill (2012) – recommendations implemented in legislationOffice for Budget Responsibility (2011) – Committee given veto in law over appointment/dismissal of members of the Budget Responsibility CommitteeThe future of cheques (2011) – new payments regulator now establishedSlide14
Treasury Committee: examples of follow-up work
Current inquiry into PF2 follows on from 2011 report on PFIContinuing work on accountability of the Bank of England following 2011 Committee reportTSC has taken on responsibility for assessing
how
Government
and regulators have responded to the work of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking StandardsSlide15
Select Committees and local government scrutiny: common issues and themes
Quality of scrutiny ultimately dependent on members
Chairman in particular is very influential
Members’ interests, expertise and time vary
The reputation a Committee establishes is important, as is the level of consensusSensitivity of agreeing recommendations in a p/Political contextHaving an impact on the executive’s policyAbility to highlight issues
Monitoring impact in the long term