Professor Tom Hickman QC gives evidence on select committee powers

On Tuesday 26 October 2021, Professor Tom Hickman QC (Professor of Public Law at UCL Laws) appeared as a witness in front of the Committee of Privileges to give evidence on proposals to change select committee powers.

The Committee’s preliminary proposals were published in May 2021 in a landmark report called “Select Committees and contempts: clarifying and strengthening powers to call for persons, papers and records”. The report set out preliminary proposals to ensure the committee powers to call for persons, papers and records can be enforced and that witnesses before committees are treated fairly; and recommends legislation to confirm its historic powers in statute.

The public evidence session forms part of a wider consultation on the proposals, ahead of the Committee publishing a final report with recommendations to the House.

A recording of the meeting is available to watch on Parliamentlive.tv.