The Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee (or simply the 'Northern Ireland Affairs Committee') is a select committee of the House of Commons

British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

 in the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

. The committee's remit is to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Office

The Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...

.

Membership

As of 28 November 2011, the members of the committee are as follows:

Member		Party	Constituency
	Laurence Robertson Laurence Robertson Laurence Anthony Robertson is a British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire since 1997...  MP (Chair)	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Tewkesbury Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency) Tewkesbury is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
	Joe Benton Joe Benton Joseph Edward Benton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Bootle since 1990.-Early life:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Bootle Bootle (UK Parliament constituency) Bootle is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election. Since 1990 the MP has been Joe Benton of the Labour Party...
	Oliver Colvile Oliver Colvile Oliver Newton Colvile is the ConservativeMember of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport. He won the seat from the Labour candidate Linda Gilroy at the May 2010 general election.-Background:...  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
	Stephen Hepburn Stephen Hepburn Stephen Hepburn is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Jarrow since 1997.-Early life and family:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Jarrow Jarrow (UK Parliament constituency) Jarrow is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-Boundaries:...
	Sylvia Hermon Sylvia Hermon Sylvia Eileen Hermon, Lady Hermon is a Northern Irish politician. Since 2001, she has been the Member of Parliament for the constituency of North Down, first elected for the Ulster Unionist Party , but now an independent...  MP	Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...	North Down North Down (UK Parliament constituency) North Down is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Sylvia Hermon, elected as an Independent in the 2010 General Election. -Boundaries:The county constituency was first created in 1885 from the northern part of Down...
	Kate Hoey Kate Hoey Catharine Letitia Hoey is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Vauxhall since 1989. She served in the Blair Government as Minister for Sport from 1999 to 2001.-Background:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Vauxhall Vauxhall (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1960s:-Notes and references:...
	David Anderson David Anderson (UK politician) David Anderson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Blaydon since 2005.-Early life:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Blaydon
	Kris Hopkins Kris Hopkins Kristan Frederick Hopkins is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Keighley in West Yorkshire.-Political career:...  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Keighley Keighley (UK Parliament constituency) Keighley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
	Naomi Long MP	Alliance Alliance Party of Northern Ireland The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....	Belfast East Belfast East (UK Parliament constituency) Belfast East is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current MP is Naomi Long of the Alliance Party, elected in 2010...
	Jack Lopresti Jack Lopresti Giacomo Lopresti is a British Conservative Party politician. In the 2010 general election he was elected Member of Parliament for Filton and Bradley Stoke, a constituency newly created by changes made by the Boundary Commission for England.Lopresti previously represented the Stockwood Ward on...  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Filton and Bradley Stoke
	Dr Alasdair McDonnell Alasdair McDonnell Dr Alasdair McDonnell is an Irish politician, Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and both a Member of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and a Member of the Legislative Assembly for South Belfast. On 5 November, 2011, he was elected as the new leader of the SDLP.-Early...  MP	Social Democratic and Labour Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...	Belfast South Belfast South (UK Parliament constituency) Belfast South is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut...
	Nigel Mills MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Amber Valley Amber Valley (UK Parliament constituency) Amber Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system. It is a marginal constituency between the Conservative and Labour parties...
	Ian Paisley, Jr. Ian Paisley, Jr. Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Jr., MP is the Member of Parliament for North Antrim and member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for the Democratic Unionist Party and an author. He is the son of the DUP's founder and former leader, Ian Paisley.In 1990, he married Fiona, and they have four children...  MP	Democratic Unionist Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...	North Antrim North Antrim (UK Parliament constituency) North Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. Its current member is Ian Paisley Jr.-Boundaries:North Antrim has always been a county constituency comprising the northern part of County Antrim in the north-east of Northern Ireland...
	David Simpson MP	Democratic Unionist Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...	Upper Bann Upper Bann (UK Parliament constituency) Upper Bann is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons. The current Member of Parliament for Upper Bann is David Simpson.-Boundaries:...

Source: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

Changes

Occasionally, the House of Commons orders changes to be made in terms of membership of select committees, as proposed by the Committee of Selection. Such changes are shown below.

Date	Outgoing Member & Party		Constituency	→	New Member & Party		Constituency	Source
2 November 2010		Stephen Pound MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Ealing North	→		Kate Hoey Kate Hoey Catharine Letitia Hoey is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Vauxhall since 1989. She served in the Blair Government as Minister for Sport from 1999 to 2001.-Background:...  MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Vauxhall Vauxhall (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1960s:-Notes and references:...	Hansard
24 October 2011		Ian Lavery Ian Lavery Ian Lavery is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Wansbeck since the 2010 general election. He was previously the President of the National Union of Mineworkers.-Early life:...  MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Wansbeck Wansbeck (UK Parliament constituency) Wansbeck is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...	→		David Anderson David Anderson (UK politician) David Anderson is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Blaydon since 2005.-Early life:...  MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Blaydon	Hansard
28 November 2011		Mel Stride Mel Stride Melvyn John 'Mel' Stride is a British Conservative Party politician. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Central Devon at the 2010 general election...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Central Devon	→		Kris Hopkins Kris Hopkins Kristan Frederick Hopkins is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Keighley in West Yorkshire.-Political career:...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Keighley Keighley (UK Parliament constituency) Keighley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...	Hansard
		Gavin Williamson Gavin Williamson Gavin Alexander Williamson is an English Conservative Party politician. He was elected at the 2010 general election as Member of Parliament for South Staffordshire. Williamson is currently a ministerial aide at the Northern Ireland Office.-Early life and family:Williamson originally hails from...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	South Staffordshire			Nigel Mills MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Amber Valley Amber Valley (UK Parliament constituency) Amber Valley is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system. It is a marginal constituency between the Conservative and Labour parties...

External links

• Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Homepage