The Political and Constitutional Reform Select 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...

. It was created on 7 June 2010.

Remit

The committee was created in response to changes to the machinery of government intended to give the Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...

, Nick Clegg

Nick Clegg

Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...

, responsibility for political and constitutional reform. The functions given to the Deputy Prime Minister are as follows:

• Introducing fixed-term Parliaments
• Legislating to hold a referendum on the alternative vote system for the House of Commons and to create fewer and more equal sized constituencies, see Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011
• Supporting people with disabilities in becoming MPs
• Introducing a power for people to recall their MPs
• Developing proposals for a wholly or mainly elected second chamber
• Speeding up implementation of individual voter registration
• Considering the "West Lothian question
  West Lothian question
  The West Lothian question refers to issues concerning the ability of Members of Parliament from constituencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to vote on matters that only affect people living in England...
  
  "
• Introducing a statutory register of lobbyists
• Reforming party funding
• Supporting all postal primaries

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister has ministerial responsibility for the Boundary Commissions, the Electoral Commission

Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)

The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...

, and the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority is an independent body created by the Parliamentary Standards Act 2009, largely as a response to the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009. It establishes and monitors the expenses scheme for Members of the House of Commons, and is responsible for...

. All of these are therefore within the remit of the committee.

Membership

As of 12 July 2011, the membership of the committee is as follows:

Member		Party	Constituency
	Graham Allen MP (Chair)	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...	Nottingham North Nottingham North (UK Parliament constituency) Nottingham North 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...
	Christopher Chope Christopher Chope Christopher Robert Chope OBE is a British barrister and Conservative politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Christchurch.-Early life:...  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...	Christchurch Christchurch (UK Parliament constituency) Christchurch is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Centred on the town of Christchurch in Dorset, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
	Simon Hart Simon Hart Simon Anthony Hart is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected in the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, defeating the previous Labour MP Nick Ainger who had represented the constituency since its creation in 1997.Hart...  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...	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency) Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
	Eleanor Laing Eleanor Laing Eleanor Fulton Laing, née Pritchard, is a British politician. She is Conservative Member of Parliament for Epping Forest, and was first elected in 1997.-Early life:...  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...	Epping Forest Epping Forest (UK Parliament constituency) Epping Forest 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 :...
	Sheila Gilmore Sheila Gilmore Sheila Gilmore is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Edinburgh East since 2010. Gilmore stood for the seat following the decision of Gavin Strang MP to stand down; she is a former City of Edinburgh councillor.- Childhood and early career :Gilmore was born...  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...	Edinburgh East Edinburgh East (UK Parliament constituency) Edinburgh East is a burgh constituency of 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....
	Andrew Griffiths Andrew Griffiths Andrew Griffiths is a former field hockey forward from Canada, who started playing hockey at age eight in Bermuda....  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...	Burton Burton (UK Parliament constituency) Burton 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:...
	Fabian Hamilton Fabian Hamilton Fabian Uziell-Hamilton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds North East since 1997.- Education and professional career :...  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...	Leeds North East Leeds North East (UK Parliament constituency) Leeds North East 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.- Boundaries :...
	Tristram Hunt Tristram Hunt Tristram Julian William Hunt, FRHistS MP is a British politician, historian, broadcaster and newspaper columnist, who is currently the Member of Parliament for Stoke-on-Trent Central. He also teaches and lectures on Modern British History at Queen Mary, University of London in Mile End, East London...  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...	Stoke-on-Trent Central
	Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi is a British-Pakistani Labour Party politician and a barrister practicing criminal law. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bolton South East in the May 2010 general election.-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...	Bolton South East
	Andrew Turner 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...	Isle of Wight Isle of Wight (UK Parliament constituency) Isle of Wight is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Created by the Great Reform Act for the 1832 general election, it covers the whole of the Isle of Wight and elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.-...
	Stephen Williams Stephen Williams (politician) Stephen Roy Williams is a British Liberal Democrat politician who was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Bristol West in the 2005 general election, being re-elected with an increased majority in May 2010...  MP	Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...	Bristol West

Source: Political and Constitutional Reform 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		Nicholas Boles Nicholas Boles Nicholas Edward Coleridge "Nick" Boles is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the Grantham and Stamford constituency in Lincolnshire...  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... )	Grantham and Stamford	→		Andrew Griffiths Andrew Griffiths Andrew Griffiths is a former field hockey forward from Canada, who started playing hockey at age eight in Bermuda....  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... )	Burton Burton (UK Parliament constituency) Burton 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
8 November 2010		Catherine McKinnell Catherine McKinnell Catherine McKinnell is a British Labour Party politician and the Member of Parliament for Newcastle upon Tyne North. She stood as a candidate for the 2010 UK general election after the incumbent Labour MP, Doug Henderson, announced in 2009 that he would not stand for re-election...  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... )	Newcastle upon Tyne North Newcastle upon Tyne North (UK Parliament constituency) Newcastle upon Tyne North 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:...	→		Fabian Hamilton Fabian Hamilton Fabian Uziell-Hamilton is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Leeds North East since 1997.- Education and professional career :...  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... )	Leeds North East Leeds North East (UK Parliament constituency) Leeds North East 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.- Boundaries :...	Hansard
1 April 2011		Sir Peter Soulsby Peter Soulsby Sir Peter Alfred Soulsby is a British Labour Party politician and the current Mayor of Leicester. He was the Member of Parliament for Leicester South from 2005 until he resigned in order to contest the new post of mayor in April 2011...  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... )	Leicester South Leicester South (UK Parliament constituency) Leicester South 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 voting system...	→	Vacant			Vote and Proceedings
12 July 2011	Vacant			→		Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi is a British-Pakistani Labour Party politician and a barrister practicing criminal law. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bolton South East in the May 2010 general election.-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... )	Bolton South East	Hansard

External links

• Political and Constitutional Reform Committee