- LIMITED IMPACT
- A government with a majority in the Commons will also have a majority in committees.
- Ministers and civil servants may not provide much information when questioned, and access to documents may be denied.
- They have no power to propose policy — governments can ignore recommendations made by select committees.
- Some members do not attend regularly: some may be overly abrasive when questioning witnesses.
- The government accepts an estimated 40% of select-committee recommendations, but these rarely involve major changes of policy.
- Committees’ power to summon witnesses is considerable but not unlimited. For example, in 2013, as home secretary, Theresa May blocked the Home Affairs Select Committee from interviewing the head of MIS, Andrew Parker.
- Johnson failed to attend Liaison Committee 3 consecutive times in 2019.