STANDARD SIZE OF DEPARTMENTAL SELECT COMMITTEES

Early day motion 1214, tabled 30 April 2002 by Alan Williams (Labour). Signed by 58 members.

That this House endorses the Liaison Committee's welcome for the Modernisation Committee's belief in the central role of select committees in parliamentary scrutiny; also endorses the Liaison Committee's support for most of the proposals in the Modernisation Committee's report on Select Committees; regrets, however, that the Liaison Committee's strong concerns that the standard size of departmental select committees should remain as 11 have been overlooked; notes that the collective objections of chairmen are related to their experience in maintaining the cohesion of committees in carrying out the crucial task of scrutiny; points out that an increase of over one-third in the size of most committees would substantially alter their effectiveness and method of working; and urges the Leader of the House to reconsider this important issue.

Signatures by party: Labour 36, Conservative 10, Labour/Co-operative 7, Liberal Democrat 5.