MPs to elect select committee chairs

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For the first time the majority of House of Commons' select committee chairs are to be elected by their fellow MPs.

The posts are to be elected through a secret ballot for the first time following the introduction of reforms to reduce parliamentary patronage.

It follows recommendations from the Reform of the House of Commons Committee to make Parliament more democratic in the wake of last year's expenses scandal.

Previously chairmen have been appointed in a behind-the-scenes process that was influenced heavily by party whips.

MPs are to choose between candidates who have had to secure nominations from Members from rival parties as well as from among their own colleagues.

The proportion of chairmen of the 24 committees falling to each party was agreed by the House on May 26 2010.

Twelve committees are to have a Tory MP as chairman, Labour MPs will chair 10 and the Lib Dem MPs two.

Nominations for the posts closed on Tuesday and the ballot for the election of contested select committee chairs takes place between 10am and 5pm on today.

A number of MPs have already been installed after being nominated unopposed last night.

Labour MP Louise Ellman stays on as the chairman of the Transport committee.

Lib Dems Malcolm Bruce and Sir Alan Beith retain their roles on the international development and justice committees respectively, while John Whittingdale (Con) stays on as chairman of the culture, media and sport committee.

The remaining committee chairs will be voted under the "alternative vote" system, with MPs ranking their choices by number and victory going to the first to get more than 50 per cent of votes.

Conservatives Michael Fallon and Andrew Tyrie will fight it out to head the influential Treasury select committee.

Andrew Tyrie said that the election of select committee chairman could be a "transformational" moment and the start of wider reforms of committees.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme he said they should be more "outward looking" and should start to demand more of the powers that the American congressional committees hold.

He added: "I think this will be a transformational moment. The chamber has totally failed to hold governments to account. It's got to be the select committee corridor that does the job."

Yesterday, MPs also voted for the first time for the three deputy Commons' speekears, choosing (Lindsay Hoyle, Lab. Chorley), Nigel Evans (Con, Ribble Valley) and Dawn Primarolo (Lab, Bristol South).

The following chairs will be elected unopposed:

Culture, media and sport committee - John Whittingdale
International development committee - Malcolm Bruce
Justice committee - Sir Alan Beith
Northern Ireland affairs - Laurence Robertson
Procedure committee - Greg Knight
Scottish affairs - Ian Davidson
Transport committee - Louise Ellman
Welsh Affairs committee - David T.C Davies

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