Scottish Affairs Select Committee

The Scottish Affairs Select Committee is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland (and prior to that, the Scottish Office), and relations with the Scottish Parliament. It also looks at the administration and expenditure of the Advocate General for Scotland.[1]

Unlike the Scottish Grand Committee, MPs from constituencies outside Scotland can, and do, sit on the Scottish Affairs Committee.

Predecessors

Before 1992 there was not consistent Select Committee scrutiny of Scottish affairs.[2] In 1968 a committee was formed partly in response to the growth of Scottish nationalism, although the committee was closed down by a reorganisation of select committees by Edward Heath's government in 1972. In 1979 Norman St John Stevas the Leader of the House under Margaret Thatcher's government instituted a Select Committee system that closely mirrored government departments in order to have better parliamentary scrutiny of the government. This was again discontinued in 1987 although there was an alternative Scottish Affairs committee manned by opposition MPs.[2]

Membership

Following the 2019 general election, the House of Commons appointed the members of the Scottish Affairs committee on 4 May 2020. As of Jannuary 2024, the membership is as follows:[3][4]

	Party	Constituency
Pete Wishart MP (chair)	Scottish National Party	Perth & North Perthshire
Alan Brown MP	Scottish National Party	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Wendy Chamberlain MP	Liberal Democrats	North East Fife
Alberto Costa MP	Conservative	South Leicestershire
David Duguid MP	Conservative	Banff and Buchan
Sally-Ann Hart MP	Conservative	Hastings and Rye
Christine Jardine MP	Liberal Democrats	Edinburgh West
Mark Menzies MP	Independent[lower-alpha 1]	Fylde
Anum Qaisar MP	Scottish National Party	Airdrie and Shotts
Douglas Ross MP	Conservative	Moray
Michael Shanks MP	Labour	Rutherglen and Hamilton West

Suspended from Conservative Party.

Changes since 2019

Date		Constituency	→		Constituency	Source
15 June 2020	David Duguid MP (Conservative)	Banff and Buchan	→	Douglas Ross MP (Conservative)	Moray	Hansard
8 November 2022	Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative)	West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine	→	David Duguid MP (Conservative)	Banff and Buchan	Hansard
9 January 2023	Mhairi Black MP (SNP)	Paisley and Renfrewshire South	→	Dr Philippa Whitford MP (SNP)	Central Ayrshire	Hansard
21 February 2023[lower-alpha 1]	Jon Cruddas MP (Labour)	Dagenham and Rainham	→	Christine Jardine MP (Liberal Democrats)	Edinburgh West	Hansard
21 February 2023[lower-alpha 1]	Liz Twist MP (Labour)	Blaydon	→	Andrew Western MP (Labour)	Stretford and Urmston	Hansard
22 May 2023	John Lamont MP (Conservative)	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk	→	Mark Menzies MP (Conservative)	Fylde	Hansard
18 September 2023	Deidre Brock MP (SNP)	Edinburgh North and Leith	→	Alan Brown MP (SNP)	Kilmarnock and Loudoun	Hansard
18 September 2023	Dr Philippa Whitford MP (SNP)	Central Ayrshire	→	Anum Qaisar MP (SNP)	Airdrie and Shotts	Hansard
22 January 2024	Andrew Western MP (Labour)	Stretford and Urmston	→	Michael Shanks MP (Labour)	Rutherglen and Hamilton West	Hansard

Unusually, this motion was voted on by MPs. David Linden objected the nomination due to Labour nominating a Liberal Democrat MP to one of their vacant positions. Since both appointments were within the same motion, both were voted on. Members of select committees for each party are decided within the party, and parties can choose any MP to serve for one of their seats, including from outside of their party. The appointment passed with 383 votes to 37.

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.[5][6]

	Party	Constituency
Pete Wishart MP (chair)	Scottish National Party	Perth and North Perthshire
Deidre Brock MP	Scottish National Party	Edinburgh North and Leith
David Duguid MP	Conservative	Banff and Buchan
Hugh Gaffney MP	Labour	Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill
Christine Jardine MP	Liberal Democrats	Edinburgh West
Ged Killen MP	Labour and Co-op	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
John Lamont MP	Conservative	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Paul Masterton MP	Conservative	East Renfrewshire
Danielle Rowley MP	Labour and Co-op	Midlothian
Tommy Sheppard MP	Scottish National Party	Edinburgh East
Ross Thomson MP	Conservative	Aberdeen South

Changes 2017-2019

Date		Constituency	→		Constituency	Source
22 October 2018	Paul Masterton MP (Conservative)	East Renfrewshire	→	Kirstene Hair MP (Conservative)	Angus	Hansard
1 April 2019	Kirstene Hair MP (Conservative)	Angus	→	Paul Masterton MP (Conservative)	East Renfrewshire	Hansard
21 October 2019	Christine Jardine MP (Liberal Democrats)	Edinburgh West	→	Jamie Stone MP (Liberal Democrats)	Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross	Hansard

2015-2017 Parliament

The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015.[7][8]

	Party	Constituency
Pete Wishart MP (chair)	Scottish National Party	Perth and North Perthshire
David Anderson MP	Labour	Blaydon
Kirsty Blackman MP	Scottish National Party	Aberdeen North
Christopher Chope MP	Conservative	Christchurch
Jim Cunningham MP	Labour	Coventry South
Margaret Ferrier MP	Scottish National Party	Rutherglen and Hamilton West
Stephen Hepburn MP	Labour	Jarrow
Chris Law MP	Scottish National Party	Dundee West
Dr Dan Poulter MP	Conservative	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich
John Stevenson MP	Conservative	Carlisle
Maggie Throup MP	Conservative	Erewash

Changes 2015-2017

Date		Constituency	→		Constituency	Source
5 September 2016	David Anderson MP (Labour)	Blaydon	→	Ian Murray MP (Labour)	Edinburgh South	Hansard
5 September 2016	Kirsty Blackman MP (SNP)	Aberdeen North	→	Deidre Brock MP (SNP)	Edinburgh North and Leith	Hansard
28 November 2016	Maggie Throup MP (Conservative)	Erewash	→	Anna Soubry MP (Conservative)	Broxtowe	Hansard
23 January 2017	Dr Dan Poulter MP (Conservative)	Central Suffolk and North Ipswich	→	Craig Williams MP (Conservative)	Cardiff North	Hansard

2010-2015 Parliament

The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010.[9][10]

	Party	Constituency
Ian Davidson MP (chair)	Labour and Co-op	Glasgow Govan
Fiona Bruce MP	Conservative	Congleton
Cathy Jamieson MP	Labour	Dundee West
Jim McGovern MP	Labour	Kilmarnock and Loudoun
Mark Menzies MP	Conservative	Fylde
David Mowat MP	Conservative	Warrington South
Fiona O'Donnell MP	Labour	East Lothian
Alan Reid MP	Liberal Democrats	Argyll and Bute
Lindsay Roy MP	Labour	Glenrothes
Julian Smith MP	Conservative	Skipton and Ripon
Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP	Scottish National Party	Banff and Buchan

Changes 2010-2015

Date	Outgoing Member & Party		Constituency	→	New Member & Party		Constituency	Source
29 November 2010		Mark Menzies MP (Conservative)	Fylde	→		Mike Freer MP (Conservative)	Finchley and Golders Green	Hansard
29 November 2010		Julian Smith MP (Conservative)	Skipton and Ripon	→		Simon Reevell MP (Conservative)	Dewsbury	Hansard
25 October 2011		Cathy Jamieson MP (Labour)	Kilmarnock and Loudoun	→		Iain McKenzie MP (Labour)	Inverclyde	Hansard
25 October 2011		Fiona O'Donnell MP (Labour)	East Lothian	→		Graeme Morrice MP (Labour)	Livingston	Hansard
23 January 2012		Graeme Morrice MP (Labour)	Livingston	→		Pamela Nash MP (Labour)	Airdrie and Shotts	Hansard
5 November 2012		David Mowat MP (Conservative)	Warrington South	→		Michael Crockart MP (Liberal Democrat)	Edinburgh West	Hansard
28 January 2013		Fiona Bruce MP (Conservative)	Congleton	→		Eleanor Laing MP (Conservative)	Epping Forest	Hansard
28 January 2013		Iain McKenzie MP (Labour)	Inverclyde	→		Graeme Morrice MP (Labour)	Livingston	Hansard
4 February 2013		Mike Freer MP (Conservative)	Finchley and Golders Green	→		Sir James Paice MP (Conservative)	South East Cambridgeshire	Hansard
6 January 2014		Eleanor Laing MP (Conservative)	Epping Forest	→	Vacant			Hansard
14 July 2014	Vacant			→		Mark Menzies MP (Conservative)	Fylde	Hansard
23 February 2015		Lindsay Roy MP (Labour)	Glenrothes	→		Iain McKenzie MP (Labour)	Inverclyde	Hansard

List of chairs

	First elected	Method
Vacant[11]	June 1987
William McKelvey[11]	15 July 1992	Elected by the Select Committee
Irene Adams	14 July 1997	Elected by the Select Committee
Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar	13 July 2005	Elected by the Select Committee
Ian Davidson[12]	10 June 2010	Elected by the House of Commons (uncontested)
Pete Wishart[13]	10 June 2015	Elected by the House of Commons (uncontested)

References

UK Parliament – Scottish Affairs Select Committee Home Page
A COMMITTEE AGAIN: THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REVIVED SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCOTTISH AFFAIRS, Allan McConnell and Robert Pyper, Scottish Affairs, no.7, Spring 1994
"Scottish Affairs Committee – Membershi". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
"Business without Debate Volume 744: debated on Monday 22 January 2024". hansard.parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024. That Andrew Western be discharged from the Scottish Affairs Committee and Michael Shanks be added.
"Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 627. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2017.
"Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 628. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 11 September 2017.
"Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 597. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 18 June 2015.
"Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 598. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 6 July 2015.
"Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 511. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 June 2010.
"Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 513. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2010.
"House of Commons – Liaison Committee – First Report". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
"Winning candidates for select committee Chairs announced". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
"Results of elections for select committee chairs announced". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[5] Suspended from Conservative Party.

[6] Unusually, this motion was voted on by MPs. David Linden objected the nomination due to Labour nominating a Liberal Democrat MP to one of their vacant positions. Since both appointments were within the same motion, both were voted on. Members of select committees for each party are decided within the party, and parties can choose any MP to serve for one of their seats, including from outside of their party. The appointment passed with 383 votes to 37.

[1] UK Parliament – Scottish Affairs Select Committee Home Page

[Again-2] A COMMITTEE AGAIN: THE FIRST YEAR OF THE REVIVED SELECT COMMITTEE ON SCOTTISH AFFAIRS, Allan McConnell and Robert Pyper, Scottish Affairs, no.7, Spring 1994

[3] "Scottish Affairs Committee – Membershi". committees.parliament.uk. Retrieved 5 May 2020.

[4] "Business without Debate Volume 744: debated on Monday 22 January 2024". hansard.parliament.uk. UK Hansard. 22 January 2024. Retrieved 31 January 2024. That Andrew Western be discharged from the Scottish Affairs Committee and Michael Shanks be added.

[7] "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 627. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2017.

[8] "Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 628. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 11 September 2017.

[9] "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 597. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 18 June 2015.

[10] "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 598. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 6 July 2015.

[11] "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 511. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 June 2010.

[12] "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 513. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2010.

[liasoncommitteereport-13] "House of Commons – Liaison Committee – First Report". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

[14] "Winning candidates for select committee Chairs announced". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

[15] "Results of elections for select committee chairs announced". UK Parliament. Retrieved 17 September 2019.

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