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Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee

UK House of Commons select committee

Summary

UK House of Commons select committee

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee, previously known as the Public Administration Select Committee, is a committee designated by the British House of Commons. Its purpose is to scrutinize reports from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, address issues pertaining to the quality of administration delivered by civil service departments, and explore various matters concerning the civil service, primarily in England and Wales, as well as constitutional affairs.

It is the principal select committee to which Cabinet Office ministers are accountable and thus handles pre appointment and accountability hearings for independent officers, with an independent civil society or cross departmental role, such as the First Civil Service Commissioner, the chair of the UK Statistics Authority and the chair of the Charity Commission.

The committee chooses its own subjects of inquiry, within its overall terms of reference; however, it seeks evidence from a wide variety of individuals and groups with relevant interests and experience. The members of the committee are elected by their peers from any political party, and the committee itself mainly publishes its results through reports and making its recommendations known to the government.

Membership

Membership of the committee is as follows:

Member	Constituency
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Simon Hoare MP (Chair)	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Richard Baker MP	Labour
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Markus Campbell-Savours MP	Labour
Liberal Democrats (UK)}}"	Charlotte Cane MP	Liberal Democrats
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Sam Carling MP	Labour
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Lauren Edwards MP	Labour
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Peter Lamb MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	John Lamont MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Richard Quigley MP	Labour
Liberal Democrats (UK)}}"	Luke Taylor MP	Liberal Democrats
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Michelle Welsh MP	Labour

Changes since 2024

Date	Outgoing Member
& Party	Constituency	→	New Member
& Party	Constituency	Source
nowrap	6 January 2025	Labour Party (UK)}}"		John Grady MP (Labour)	Glasgow East	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"	Sam Carling MP (Labour)

2019–2024 Parliament

The chair was elected on 29 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020.

Member	Constituency
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	William Wragg MP (chair)	Conservative
Scottish National Party}}"	Ronnie Cowan MP	SNP
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Jackie Doyle-Price MP (chair)	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Chris Evans MP	Labour and Co-op
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Rachel Hopkins MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	David Jones MP	Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	David Mundell MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Lloyd Russell-Moyle MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Tom Randall MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Karin Smyth MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	John Stevenson MP	Conservative

Changes 2019-2024

Date	Outgoing Member
and Party	Constituency	→	New Member
and Party	Constituency	Source
21 September 2020	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Chris Evans MP (Labour and Co-op)	Islwyn	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Navendu Mishra MP (Labour)
22 February 2021	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Navendu Mishra MP (Labour)	Stockport	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		John McDonnell MP (Labour)
17 May 2022	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Rachel Hopkins MP (Labour)	Luton South	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Beth Winter MP (Labour)
21 November 2022	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		David Mundell MP (Conservative)	Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Damien Moore MP (Conservative)
6 December 2022	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Jackie Doyle-Price MP (Conservative)	Thurrock	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Jo Gideon MP (Conservative)
15 April 2024	Independent politician}}"		William Wragg MP (Chair, Independent)	Hazel Grove	→	Vacant	Hansard
8 May 2024	Vacant	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Jackie Doyle-Price MP (Chair, Conservative)	Thurrock	Hansard

2017–2019 Parliament

The election of the chair took place on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.

Member	Constituency
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Bernard Jenkin MP (Chair)	Conservative
Scottish National Party}}"	Ronnie Cowan MP	SNP
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Paul Flynn MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Marcus Fysh MP	Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Cheryl Gillan MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Kelvin Hopkins MP	Labour
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Rupa Huq MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	David Jones MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Sandy Martin MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	David Morris MP	Conservative

Changes 2017-2019

Date	Outgoing Member
and Party	Constituency	→	New Member
and Party	Constituency	Source
15 January 2018	New seat	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Sarah Champion MP (Labour)	Rotherham	Hansard
4 June 2018	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Sarah Champion MP (Labour)	Rotherham	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Tulip Siddiq MP (Labour)
17 February 2019	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Paul Flynn MP (Labour)	Newport West	→	Vacant	Death of member
25 February 2019	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Sandy Martin MP (Labour)	Ipswich	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Eleanor Smith MP (Labour)

2015–2017 Parliament

The election of the chair took place on 18 June 2015, with the members of the committee being announced on 6 July 2015.

Member	Constituency
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Bernard Jenkin MP (Chair)	Conservative
Scottish National Party}}"	Ronnie Cowan MP	SNP
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Oliver Dowden MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Paul Flynn MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Cheryl Gillan MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Kate Hoey MP	Labour
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Kelvin Hopkins MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	David Jones MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Gerald Jones MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Tom Tugendhat MP	Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Andrew Turner MP	Conservative

Changes 2015-2017

Date	Outgoing Member
and Party	Constituency	→	New Member
and Party	Constituency	Source
31 October 2016	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Oliver Dowden MP (Conservative)	Hertsmere	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Marcus Fysh MP (Conservative)
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		David Jones MP (Conservative)	Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)	Gravesham
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Tom Tugendhat MP (Conservative)	Tonbridge and Malling	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Dan Poulter MP (Conservative)	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
19 December 2016	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)	Gravesham	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		John Stevenson MP (Conservative)

2010-2015 Parliament

The election of the chair took place on 10 June 2010, with the members of the committee being announced on 12 July 2010.

Member	Constituency
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Bernard Jenkin MP (Chair)	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Kevin Brennan MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Nick de Bois MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Michael Dugher MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Charlie Elphicke MP	Conservative
Labour Party (UK)}}"	Paul Flynn MP	Labour
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Robert Halfon MP	Conservative
Liberal Democrats (UK)}}"	Greg Mulholland MP	Liberal
Conservative Party (UK)}}"	Charles Walker MP	Conservative

Changes 2010-2015

Date	Outgoing Member
and Party	Constituency	→	New Member
and Party	Constituency	Source
26 July 2010	New seat	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		David Heyes MP (Labour)	Ashton-under-Lyne	Hansard
Labour Party (UK)}}"		Jon Trickett MP (Labour)	Hemsworth
nowrap	2 November 2010	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Jon Trickett MP (Labour)	Hemsworth	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Lindsay Roy MP (Labour)
17 January 2011	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Kevin Brennan MP (Labour)	Cardiff West	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Kelvin Hopkins MP (Labour)
9 May 2011	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Charles Walker MP (Conservative)	Broxbourne	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Alun Cairns MP (Conservative)
5 December 2011	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Nick de Bois MP (Conservative)	Enfield North	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Priti Patel MP (Conservative)
10 December 2012	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Michael Dugher MP (Labour)	Barnsley East	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Steve Reed MP (Labour Co-op)
4 November 2013	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Charlie Elphicke MP (Conservative)	Dover	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Andrew Turner MP (Conservative)
11 November 2013	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Steve Reed MP (Labour)	Croydon North	→	Labour Party (UK)}}"		Sheila Gilmore MP(Labour)
12 May 2014	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Alun Cairns MP (Conservative)	Vale of Glamorgan	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Cheryl Gillan MP (Conservative)
12 May 2014	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Robert Halfon MP (Conservative)	Harlow	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)
23 June 2014	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Priti Patel MP (Conservative)	Witham	→	Conservative Party (UK)}}"		Nigel Evans MP (Conservative)

Reports

A March 2004 report considered the prerogative powers of Ministers.

A major report published in July 2011 addressed procurement of Information Technology by the government and found there was an over-reliance "on a small 'oligopoly' of large suppliers", which some witnesses before the Committee had described as a 'cartel'. An independent comment given prominence in the report described the UK as "a world leader in ineffective IT schemes for government". The Office of Fair Trading investigated but did not find sufficient evidence either to confirm that suppliers had been acting in breach of competition law, or to exonerate them. The government welcomed "the Committee's interest in and support for government Information and Communication Technology" and in response noted in particular that the government was "in the process of breaking the contractual lock-in which places the majority of ICT business with a small group of major systems integrators", and "working to improve the quality of its ICT management information".

Reports published in 2021 include The role and status of the Prime Minister’s Office, published in June 2021.

In 2022 the committee reported on government ethics. Committee chair William Wragg stated a "robust" system was needed to uphold standards "with proper sanctions for those who break the rules". The committee was also concerned the government maintained its coming ethics adviser would not look into what happened round Suella Braverman's resignation. MP's on the committee stated the government should not be able to decide what the adviser, not yet appointed, could investigate. In its report, the committee also stated there should be legal action against former ministers who broke rules through taking certain jobs after leaving officed. Former ministers should look for advice from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments but ministers cannot be made to accept this committee's advice. The record of the current government was strongly criticised. The committee want the ethics adviser to be able to carry out inquiries into historical behaviour.

References

"Public Administration Select Committee - role". parliament.uk.
"Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee". UK Parliament.
(29 January 2020). "Speaker’s Statement: Select Committee Chairs".
(2 March 2020). "Committees".
(12 July 2017). "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs".
(11 September 2017). "Business without Debate".
(18 February 2019). "Tributes as Newport West Labour MP Paul Flynn dies aged 84". BBC News.
(18 June 2015). "Speaker's Statement".
(6 July 2015). "Committees".
(10 June 2010). "Committees".
(12 July 2010). "Speaker's Statement".
(4 March 2004). "Taming the Prerogative: Strengthening Ministerial Accountability to Parliament".
House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee, [https://books.google.com/books?id=9-PWY4bG66UC Government and IT - "a recipe for rip-offs": time for a new approach], Volume 1, page 3, published 28 July 2011, accessed 30 July 2021
Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Tinkler, J., and Bastow, S. (2006), ''Digital Era Governance: IT corporations, the state, and e-government'', Oxford University Press.p. 70, quoted in ''Government and IT - "a recipe for rip-offs": time for a new approach'', Volume 1, page 6
Feaster-Gee, T., Kilduff, D., [https://web.archive.org/web/20210515182718/https://www.walkermorris.co.uk/publications/parting-shot-oft-regarding-supply-ict-public-sector// Parting shot from OFT regarding supply of ICT to the public sector], Walker Morris, published 16 April 2014, archived 15 May 2021, accessed 15 November 2022
UK Government, [https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61163/PASC-Further-Report-Government-Response-FINAL-270312-2.pdf Memorandum to the Public Administration Select Committee. Government Response to the Public Administration Select Committee’s report: Government and IT – "a recipe for rip-offs": time for a new approach: Further Report, with the Government Response to the Committee’s Twelfth Report of Session 2010 - 12], March 2012, accessed 26 November 2022
UK Parliament, [https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/6187/documents/68925/default/ The role and status of the Prime Minister’s Office], published 9 June 2021, accessed 30 July 2021
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-63825127 Suella Braverman reappointment sets dangerous precedent - MPs] ''[[BBC]]''
[https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/dec/02/suella-braverman-sunak-return-dangerous-precedent-commons-committee Braverman return sets ‘dangerous precedent’, says Commons committee] ''[[The Guardian]]''

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