Nomination of Members to Committees

Part of Business of the House (Today) – in the House of Commons at 8:32 pm on 12 September 2017.

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Photo of Charles Walker Charles Walker Chair, Procedure Committee, Chair, Procedure Committee 8:32, 12 September 2017

Lots of things are said, but we are looking at what happened, and the fact of what happened is that for the entirety of the Wilson/Callaghan Governments—well, for all but three months, so not quite the entirety—the Government of the day had a majority on the Committee of Selection: when they were a majority Government and when they were a minority Government, at times.

It is worth hon. Members reading the motion because there is nothing to prevent the Selection Committee from choosing to have an even number of members of Standing Committees. What the motion says is that when Selection Committee decides to have odd numbers—if indeed it ever decides to have odd numbers—the balance will be in favour of the Government. However, it could well be—