Parliament’s Education Service

The work of Parliament: Scrutiny

> Parliament makes sure that the government is doing a good job by ...

> Asking questions

> Debating important issues

> Examining issues in small groups

Select Committees

Select Committees examine issues in detail, from specific government policies to wider topics like the economy.

Select Committees

Commons LordsWhat? There is one committee for each government department, looking at spending, policies and administration.

Who? Each committee has a minimum of 11 members. They decide upon lines of inquiry and then gather written and oral evidence.

Outcomes? Findings are printed, reported to the House of Commons, and published on the Parliament website. The government then usually has 60 days to reply to the committee's recommendations.

What? There are five major Lords Select Committees:- the European Union Committee- the Science and Technology Committee- the Communications Committee- the Constitution Committee- the Economic Affairs Committee

Who? These five committees are re-appointed at the beginning of a parliamentary session.

Outcomes? Committees draw on Members of the Lords’ expertise and time. They publish reports on areas of inquiry, and can examine issues that cut across departments.

How do Select Committees work?

Commons Select Committees

Culture, Media and Sport

Education

Health

Business, Innovation and Skills Energy and Climate Change

Foreign Affairs

Home affairs

Defence

Science and Technology

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Major Lords Select Committees

European Union Committee

Communications Committee

Constitution Committee

Economic Affairs Committee

Science and Technology Committee

Select Committee Activities

Activity for studentsAid and international development:

Discussing the issues

Aid: the issues

Whose need is greatest?

At a time when the government is trying to cut the budget deficit, some people want the money spent on aid to be used at home. How do the needs of people in countries like the UK compare with needs elsewhere? And what is the best way to balance them?

Aid: the issues

Does aid always reach the people who need it?

Some of the countries that receive UK aid have problems with corruption; others have recently come out of civil wars or don't have a stable government. Some of these regions are home to the people who need aid the most, so should we prioritise helping them? Or should we withdraw aid if there is a danger that some of it will go astray?

Aid: the issues

Can aid be non-political?

How should we decide how much aid a country should receive? Is it based on need? Or should we give more to countries where there are some benefits for us, for example, where giving aid might improve our security?

Aid: the issues

Is aid always the best type of help?

Should we focus on giving aid to countries in need or are there sometimes better alternatives? What is the role of measures like improving trade and economic growth? Can these options ever remove the need for aid, or are they complementary strategies?

Aid: the issues

Do aid donors understand the needs of the people they want to help?

Some countries have very complex political situations and complex needs. Is it possible for donors like the UK, whose circumstances are very different, to understand the needs of these countries? Are there ways of ensuring we give the most useful kinds of help, for example, by involving members of local communities in decisions?

Aid: the issues

How much aid should we give?

A number of European countries set a target of spending 0.7% of their annual budget on aid. Does having a target like this help to ensure that countries prioritise aid? Or should aid expenditure be decided in other ways, such as on a case-by-case basis?

Aid: the issues

What would happen if we reduced aid?

If the UK gave less aid, what effect would this have? What might be the human cost? What is the potential impact on the UK's international standing and influence? Would there be hidden costs, such as increased conflict over resources? How should we balance these possible consequences against the cost of giving aid?