More of the Same or a Period of Change? The Impact of Bill Committees in the Twenty-First Century House of Commons

Abstract

Bill committees have long been a fundamental feature of legislative scrutiny in the British House of Commons. The recent introduction of oral evidence sessions as a standard bill committee procedure has further underlined their importance.1 Yet despite their prominence in parliamentary life, bill committees have been somewhat under-studied. A comparison of bill committee activity in the first decade of the twenty-first century with the last comprehensive examination undertaken in 1974 shows that significant changes have taken place; bill committees appear to be working harder than ever before but this is not reflected in terms of the relative impact they are making on government legislation.