Committee of Selection (House of Commons)

The Committee of Selection is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Unlike the Commons' other select committees, the Committee of Selection exists by virtue of the House's Standing Orders for Private Business, its rules for bills that affect only specific organizations or individuals.House of Commons Standing Order (Private Business) 109–111 Despite that, the committee is best known for appointing members of committees established under resolutions of the House and the Standing Orders for Public Business.

Members of the Committee of Selection are nominated by a motion tabled and moved by a member of the Government. In the same way, the Government also nominates members to the Liaison Committee, the Committee on Standards, the Committee of Privileges, and committees established by a temporary standing order, although on occasion the Committee of Selection has been tasked with performing such nominations. As the Committee of Selection is not covered by Standing Order No. 122B, its chair is chosen by the members of the committee itself unless the House orders otherwise.

After the non-Chair members of other select committees have been chosen via elections within each party, a motion setting out membership of each committee is tabled and moved on behalf of the Committee of Selection by one of its members.

With few exceptions, notably the Committee of Selection itself, the standards committee, the privileges committee and the Liaison Committee, only members of the committee acting on its behalf may nominate new members to committees or propose the discharge of members. Appointments to select committees are made through motions put before the House of Commons, while appointments to general committees (such as public bill committees) are made by the committee's own authority.Standing Orders (Public Business) 85 & 86 With respect to private business, all private bills are automatically referred to the committee, which in turn either refers unopposed bills to the Unopposed Bill Committee and refers opposed bills to committees whose members it also appoints.

Role in the selection of public bill committees The Committee of Selection performs a crucial, yet often overlooked function in scrutinising legislation. The current structure of the committee is dominated by party whips. This means that the government effectively chooses which MPs will scrutinise its bills. Advocates of reform highlight that the current organisation of the committee means that MPs who are subject specialists or may hold views contrary to the leadership of their party can be kept off public bill committees. Suggested reforms include limiting the number of whips that can serve on the committee and allowing MPs a vote on public bill committee nominations.House of Commons – Political and Constitutional Reform Committee – Revisiting Rebuilding the House: the impact of the Wright reforms

Chairs Committee chairs include those listed below.https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/381/committee-of-selection/membership/former/

NameStartEndPartyConstituencyLabourCumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch EastConservativeThe CotswoldsConservativeNorth HerefordshirepresentLabourNewport East

Current members Members are elected at the beginning of each session. As of May 2026 the committee's membership is as follows: Member Party Constituency Jessica Morden MP (chair) Labour Newport East Jade Botterill MP Labour Ossett and Denby Dale Emma Foody MP Labour Cramlington and Killingworth Gen Kitchen MP Labour Wellingborough and Rushden Tom Morrison MP Liberal Democrats Cheadle David Simmonds MP Conservative Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner Rebecca Smith MP Conservative South West Devon Mark Tami MP Labour Alyn and Deeside Christian Wakeford MP Labour Bury South

Changes since 2024 Date Outgoing Member& Party Constituency → New Member& Party Constituency Source 18 November 2024 Rebecca Harris MP (Conservative) Castle Point → Mike Wood MP (Conservative) Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Hansard 28 April 2025 Charlie Maynard MP (Liberal Democrats) Witney → Tom Morrison MP (Liberal Democrats) Cheadle Hansard 28 April 2025 Joy Morrissey MP (Conservative) Beaconsfield → Paul Holmes MP (Conservative) Hamble Valley Hansard 24 June 2025 Vicky Foxcroft MP (Labour) Lewisham North → Christian Wakeford MP (Labour) Bury South Hansard 9 September 2025 Chris Elmore MP (Labour) Bridgend → Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour) Nottingham South Hansard 9 September 2025 Samantha Dixon MP (Labour) Chester North and Neston → Nesil Caliskan MP (Labour) Barking Hansard 9 September 2025 Jeff Smith MP (Labour) Manchester Withington → Gen Kitchen MP (Labour) Wellingborough and Rushden Hansard 24 March 2026 Paul Holmes MP (Conservative) Hamble Valley → Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) Broadland and Fakenham Hansard 18 May 2026 Nesil Caliskan MP (Labour) Barking → Deirdre Costigan MP (Labour) Ealing Southall Hansard 2 September 2026 Deirdre Costigan MP (Labour) Ealing Southall→ Jade Botterill MP (Labour) Ossett and Denby DaleHansard Lilian Greenwood MP (Labour) Nottingham South Emma Foody MP (Labour) Cramlington and Killingworth 8 September 2026 Jerome Mayhew MP (Conservative) Broadland and Fakenham→ David Simmonds MP (Conservative) Ruislip, Northwood and PinnerHansard Mike Wood MP (Conservative) Kingswinford and South Staffordshire Rebecca Smith MP (Conservative) South West Devon

Former members

2019-2024 MemberPartyConstituencyBill Wiggin MP (chair)ConservativeNorth HerefordshireJo Churchill MPConservativeBury St EdmundsChris Elmore MPLabourOgmoreNigel Huddleston MPConservativeMid WorcestershireLilian Greenwood MPLabourNottingham SouthRebecca Harris MPConservativeCastle PointMark Tami MPLabourAlyn and DeesideRichard Thomson MPScottish National PartyGordonCraig Whittaker MPConservativeCalder Valley

2017-2019 MemberPartyConstituencyBill Wiggin MP (Chair)ConservativeNorth HerefordshireAlan Campbell MPLabourTynemouthJackie Doyle-Price MPConservativeThurrockDavid Evennett MPConservativeErith and CrayfordAnne Milton MPConservativeGuildfordJessica Morden MPLabourNewport EastJulian Smith MPConservativeSkipton and RiponMark Tami MPLabourAlyn and DeesideOwen Thompson MPScottish National PartyMidlothian

2015-2017 MemberPartyConstituencyGeoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (Chair)ConservativeCotswoldHeidi Alexander MPLabourLewisham EastTom Blenkinsop MPLabourMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandAlan Campbell MPLabourTynemouthDavid Evennett MPConservativeErith and CrayfordGreg Hands MPConservativeChelsea and FulhamMark Hunter MPLiberal DemocratCheadleAnne Milton MPConservativeGuildfordMark Tami MPLabourAlyn and Deeside

2010-2015 MemberPartyConstituencyGeoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (Chair)ConservativeCotswoldHeidi Alexander MPLabourLewisham EastTom Blenkinsop MPLabourMiddlesbrough South and East ClevelandAlan Campbell MPLabourTynemouthDavid Evennett MPConservativeErith and CrayfordMark Hunter MPLiberal DemocratCheadleAnne Milton MPConservativeGuildfordJohn Randall MPConservativeUxbridge and South RuislipMark Tami MPLabourAlyn and Deeside

2005-2010 MemberPartyConstituencyRosemary McKenna MP (Chair)LabourCumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East

See also Parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom

References

External links Committee of Selection Records for this Committee are held at the Parliamentary Archives