Select Committee inquiries

Entrepreneurs are vital to driving growth, innovation, competition, productivity and job creation, across the country and across communities.

The Committee's inquiries into Small Business Strategy and Investing in the UK Economy examined how businesses grow and access scale-up finance. Now we are studying the start-up phase, considering:

• How do people start businesses?
• What are the conditions that support entrepreneurship?
• How effective are Government policies at encouraging enterprise creation?
• How will the new department combine its new innovation policy to help?

This inquiry will examine the UK's entrepreneurial ecosystem, consider lessons from international comparators, and explore the roles of education, finance, innovation and government policy in supporting business creation. It will also examine entrepreneurship in the skilled trades, including the journey from sole trader to employer, and the factors that help or hinder tradespeople in building viable businesses and taking on apprentices.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

The Transport Committee is exploring Government interventions in public transport fares, pricing and ticketing.

The inquiry will explore:

• how the Government intervenes in public transport fares;
• what outcomes the Government is seeking to achieve when developing fares strategies and whether outcomes are clearly articulated and effectively delivered;
• what further outcomes the Government could seek to achieve in terms of wider benefits, and how it could intervene to achieve these.

Read the call for evidence

The Committee are launching an inquiry into the UK export support system. The inquiry examines whether the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade alongside UK Export Finance:

• both have the resources they need;
• provide advisory and promotional services that are fit for purpose;
• have the correct priorities and target the right exporters; and
• can deliver on the Government's 2025 Trade Strategy commitments.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

The Liaison Committee is examining whether the core tasks that guide select committee work remain fit for purpose. The inquiry will consider how committees can most effectively scrutinise government policy, strategy, spending and public appointments, and whether any changes to committee procedures or parliamentary privilege are needed to support this work.

The cross-party Modernisation Committee is holding an inquiry Private Members Bills, as part of its ongoing work on how time is used in the Commons.

Private Members’ Bills can be introduced by MPs who are not Government Ministers, often known as backbench MPs. It’s up to the MP to choose the topic of the Bill. There are three ways in which an MP can introduce a Private Members' Bill: via the ballot, as a ten-minute-rule bill and as a presentation bill. Ballot bills have the best chance of becoming law, as they get priority for the limited amount of debating time available for Private Members’ Bills. 

As part of this inquiry, the Modernisation Committee will explore whether the amount of time allocated for considering Private Members’ Bills is right, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of debating these Bills on Fridays, and what the procedural implications would be of moving these debates to another day would be.

The Committee will also investigate the effectiveness of the ballot and the use of presentation bills and Ten-Minute Rule bills as mechanisms for introducing and progressing Private Members’ Bills.

The inquiry is focused on the process for Private Members’ Bills, rather than on the merits of individual Bills.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

When a division is called in the House of Commons, Members present on the Estate who wish to cast a vote must then proceed to the division lobbies located adjacent to the Chamber to do so.  During the Covid-19 pandemic, due to social distancing requirements, Members were able to vote electronically in some divisions in the House (then known as ‘remote voting’),  but these arrangements lapsed in mid-2021 alongside other pandemic-era procedures. Several other legislatures around the world – including the House of Lords – currently operate some form of electronic voting arrangements, therefore providing different models that could be compared to those in the House of Commons which require a physical presence in a certain location for a valid vote to be cast.

This inquiry will look at the pros and cons of the current operation of divisions in the House of Commons and the potential merits and pitfalls of introducing electronic voting arrangement for divisions in the House.

At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced its intention to publish a Small Business Strategy “setting out the government’s vision for support for small businesses”. This will be published in 2025.

To ensure the Committee and Parliament can scrutinise this policy effectively, the Business & Trade Committee will conduct an inquiry to develop recommendations for the strategy and to set criteria against which to judge the Government’s progress. 

In particular, we will assess how small business success can contribute to the Government’s overall objectives of raising the rates of economic growth, increasing disposable income and closing regional inequalities. We shall also seek to learn lessons from the approaches taken in other countries, such the US.

Following the general election, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) announced plans to become the “digital centre of government”. It was also confirmed that the Government Digital Service, Central Digital and Data Office and Incubator for Artificial Intelligence would move from the Cabinet Office into DSIT, to “unite efforts in the digital transformation of public services under one department”.

 Since the election DSIT has published three reviews to inform this work: a blueprint for digital government, an assessment of digital capability across government, and an AI Opportunities Action Plan. It has also confirmed that the digital centre will be known as the Government Digital Service.

 The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is launching an inquiry to suggest priorities for the new Government Digital Service, scrutinise DSIT’s planned approach to implementation, and identify opportunities and challenges.

The Government has made economic growth its “number one mission”, aiming to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7.  Yet the UK has consistently lagged behind its peers and in 2025, the IMF projected UK growth at just 1.2%—below most major competitors. 

Low investment is at the core of this challenge. The UK has recorded the lowest share of investment in GDP among G7 countries in 24 of the last 30 years and ranked in the bottom ten of OECD countries for overall investment intensity. Closing this investment gap is now essential to delivering the productivity, innovation, and dynamism the British economy needs. 

Taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs) form a key part of the transport network, particularly for people who face barriers to using other forms of transport and as a driver of the nighttime economy. However, the current system for regulating these vehicles can vary across different licensing authorities, creating inconsistencies and raising questions about how effective present standards are.

This inquiry will examine whether the current licensing framework provides authorities with the tools they need to successfully regulate the sector. The Committee will consider the implications of uneven rules between areas, the growing role of digital ride-hailing platforms, and the challenges that can arise from cross-border working.

It will also explore what reforms may be needed to improve standards for passengers and drivers.

Read the call for evidence.

The Business and Trade Committee is exploring issues impacting competition and market functioning within the UK’s live music industry, including the role of the CMA in regulation of the sector. This work is following on from oral evidence sessions held on 4 February and 24 June 2025. The Committee is seeking written submissions on the characteristics, features and trends within the UK live music industry that may adversely impact market competition or market functioning.

This inquiry will examine the circumstances behind and the consequences of a major data breach in February 2022 from the Ministry of Defence. The breach involved the personal data of thousands of Afghan applicants for resettlement to the UK and their families, potentially putting these people at risk of reprisals. The inquiry aims to understand how this breach could have been allowed to happen, and, once it had happened, whether successive Governments took well-informed and sensible decisions under cover of an unprecedented super-injunction. The inquiry will also examine the Government’s wider arrangements for the resettlement of eligible Afghans in the UK.

While lived experience can inform the Committee's work, please be aware that the Committee does not consider or assist with individual cases.

The deadline for written evidence is Tuesday 14 October 2025.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to examine the importance of built heritage in the UK and the barriers to its preservation.

The inquiry will examine issues with funding and whether current finance models are suitable and accessible.  It will also engage with how the Government can tackle practical and regulatory challenges, such as the availability of skilled practitioners, the managed decline of assets on publicly-owned land, and policy issues arising from net zero targets and planning policy.

Alongside this, MPs will highlight the importance of built heritage for economic regeneration and to community identities, as well as how those communities can be empowered to manage their local built heritage assets.

Nearly one million young people aged 16–24 are not in employment, education or training (NEET). This is a worrying statistic given the harm that being NEET can do to young people’s prospects and wellbeing. To tackle this problem, the Government has recently transferred the skills remit to DWP and announced measures such as the Youth Guarantee and apprenticeship reforms. The Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry, which seeks to complement the independent Milburn Review into Young People and Work, will explore the causes of economic inactivity and how to help young people into work, education or training, and scrutinise the Government’s plans.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry

The Justice Committee has issued a call for evidence to inform its scrutiny of the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 25 February 2026 and is due to have its Second Reading debate on 10 March. Dates for Committee stage are yet to be confirmed.

Overview

In brief, the Bill aims to:

• make structural changes to the operation of the criminal courts in England and Wales based on recommendations made in Part One of Sir Brian Leveson’s Independent Review of the Criminal Courts;
• reform the law on evidence and procedure in sexual offence prosecutions, drawing on recommendations from the Law Commission;
• repeal the presumption of parental involvement in the Children Act 1989;
• modernise operational and leadership arrangements across courts and tribunals; and
• make certain other technical and administrative reforms.

Read the Call for Evidence to learn more.

This short inquiry will consider pet parasite medication (PPM), with a focus on treatments containing pesticides of concern such as fipronil and imidacloprid. The inquiry will seek to understand distribution pathways, and the impact of PPM use and non-use on biodiversity and human health. It will also cover current regulation, monitoring, and the potential implications for pets and pet owners of alternative medications or application practices.

Nigeria was the sixth largest recipient of UK Official Development Assistance in 2023 with over £100m allocated. This was a reduction from third place in 2022 when it received £110m. As of 2024, Nigeria had by far the largest population in Africa and one of the highest population growth rates. Nigeria is the fourth largest economy in Africa and has a diaspora numbering hundreds of thousands living in the UK.

Despite its economic growth and young population, the country continues to face development challenges. Its economy is heavily dependent on oil, and it faces security challenges from insurgencies and terrorist groups. Simmering ethnic and religious tensions, wealth disparities, a brain drain of talent to higher income countries, and vulnerability to climate change are just some of the issues which confront federal and state governments.

The current and previous UK governments have mentioned Nigeria in several key policy statements, describing it as a “rising power” with which the UK should “deepen investment ties and work together”. The Foreign Secretary has emphasised his desire for a relationship with Africa that prioritises “partnership not paternalism”. Despite this intention, there are still many questions unanswered about what the UK’s policy regarding its development partnership with Nigeria will look like: where its priorities will lie; how it will work with Nigerian Government and society to help tackle the challenges; how it will support a transition away from fossil fuels.

This new inquiry will explore remaining questions over the UK’s development relationship with Nigeria. These could include how the UK can help support Nigeria to develop governance and tackle corruption, how UK investment could help Nigeria transition away from fossil fuels, and how the UK can work with civil society to promote peace in the Sahel.

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Digital ID can refer to many different aspects of a person’s identity which can be recorded and stored digitally, including names and demographic information, digital versions of government-issued documents such as visas, or even biometric information like a fingerprint or face scan.

In an increasingly digital world, several countries have begun to develop digital ID systems to support functions like identification, proof of residence and facilitating access to government services.

There have been calls for the UK to adopt digital ID, with those arguing for its introduction saying it would have benefits like improving citizens’ access to services and supporting more effective enforcement of immigration rules.

The Government has already taken steps to introduce some digital forms of ID. For example, the Home Office has introduced eVisas, while the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is leading the introduction of digital driver’s licences.

This inquiry will examine what benefits the introduction of new digital forms of ID could bring for reducing crime and managing migration. It will explore concerns about privacy and security as well as the practical challenges to realising the potential benefits of digital ID.

Criminal justice in Wales exists within a unique policy environment, with prisons, probation and rehabilitation reserved to the UK Government, and key intersecting services like health, education and housing devolved to the Welsh Government.

Wales is also unique in that, despite having five adult male prison facilities and a young offender institution, it has no prison for adult women.

This inquiry is looking at the challenges and opportunities that are presented by this unique constitutional arrangement, examining where the UK and Welsh Governments are working well together, as well as identifying areas for improvement.

It will also consider the UK Government’s recent criminal justice policy initiatives, assessing the extent to which they have been tailored to meet the needs of Welsh offenders.

The Committee invites written submissions addressing any or all of the following areas:

1. To what extent does UK Government policy and associated missions, as they relate to offender management, take Wales' public service delivery landscape into account?
2. How effective are the intergovernmental relations between the UK and Welsh Governments - and their associated agencies - when it comes to supporting Welsh offenders?
3. How suitable is the Welsh prison estate for keeping prisoners healthy, safe and ensuring they can access effective rehabilitation services?
4. How effective are offender management services - both in custody and the community - in reducing reoffending and keeping offenders and the public safe, and are Welsh perspectives sufficiently accounted for during the commissioning of such services?
5. Is there sufficient clarity, co-ordination and co-operation between government agencies, the private sector and third sector organisations involved in offender management and rehabilitation in Wales?
6. How does the lack of a women's prison in Wales impact upon the experiences and rehabilitation of Welsh women offenders?
7. To what extent is there parity between the services available to prisoners in England and those available to prisoners in Wales, including access to Welsh language services?

The Committee has launched an inquiry into community energy. The Committee aims to:

• Identify potential solutions to the financial and regulatory barriers facing community energy projects, including how to establish local supply.

• Consider the role of the Local Power Plan in supporting community energy.

• Assess how reforms to the planning system, grid connections and the energy market could support the growth of community energy at scale.

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee is launching an inquiry into the role of science diplomacy and research and development (R&D) in supporting the UK Government’s growth missions, enhancing the UK’s international influence, and contributing to national security. Science diplomacy encompasses the political support for science in an international context, cross-border research collaborations, science advice for global policymaking, and public engagement activities.

The inquiry will assess the Government’s strategy for international science, the value of international science collaborations, and the benefits of using science to enhance national branding, international influence, and conflict resolution. It will also consider how international science and innovation projects support UK economic growth, how to attract global R&D investment, and the role of science in bolstering the UK’s soft power.

Animal and plant diseases and pests have far-reaching impacts on the environment, agricultural and horticultural sectors, trade, human health, animal welfare, and the food that we eat.

The UK’s animal and plant biosecurity capability is in a period of significant change: the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s critical infrastructure – notably its Weybridge headquarters – is partway through a muti-billion pound transformation project, a new regime of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on goods from the EU is being implemented, and the UK is adapting to changed access to surveillance, people and skills. In this context, the Government has made ambitious animal welfare commitments and is seeking an SPS or veterinary agreement with the EU.

This inquiry will provide consistent scrutiny of ongoing and emerging issues and opportunities relating to animal and plant health. The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis and produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry.

Topics for scrutiny may include, but are not limited to:

• animal welfare;
• biosecurity at the border;
• implementation of the Border Target Operating Model;
• One Health approach to biosecurity;
• potential SPS agreement with the EU;
• skills and workforce planning in relevant professions (such as the veterinary sector);
• the impact of pests, diseases and biosecurity measures on farmers and the food supply chain;
• the resourcing and work of the Animal and Plant Health Agency;
• threats to UK forestry, including pests and diseases, and the risk of ecosystem collapse;
• threat-specific scrutiny, such as in response to an outbreak or an ongoing priority such as tackling antimicrobial resistance;
• UK Biological Security Strategy.

Read the ‘biosecurity at the border’ call for evidence here.

This inquiry will examine the development of, and proposed regulatory response to, stablecoins in the UK. In particular, the inquiry will examine the extent to which stablecoins might disrupt the traditional models of provision of financial services, including for banking and payments services. The inquiry will also assess the potential opportunities and risks that the growth of stablecoins might have on UK’s financial services sector, and whether the Bank of England and FCA’s proposed regulatory frameworks provide measured and proportionate responses to these risks.

This inquiry will look into the health and wellbeing services available to those working in Parliament - exploring how existing services can be better communicated and supported, and identifying where some health and wellbeing needs are still not being met.

It will:

• Identify and investigate what further physical and mental health and wellbeing services could be provided on the Parliamentary Estate to support the working lives of MPs, MP’s staff and staff of the House; 
• Consider where there are short-term improvements to the working environment and building facilities that would support health and wellbeing; 
• Consider whether the guidance should be relaxed for some aspects of House business
• Read the terms of reference for more detail about the inquiry.

Read the terms of reference for more detail on the inquiry.

The Committee will be investigating the transition to net zero in Scotland’s energy sector, and how the UK Government can support a transition that maximises opportunities for jobs and economic growth. As part of this, the Committee will examine how GB Energy and other interventions can most effectively back the development of clean energy.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

2026 marks 25 years since the establishment of the PSNI following the recommendations of the Patten review on policing. This inquiry will examine how far the objectives and aspirations of the Patten review have been realised, and explore the key challenges facing policing and security in Northern Ireland today—particularly in areas that remain under UK Government co-ordination and funding. Read our call for evidence [here] for more detail about the inquiry and how to contribute your views.

The UK’s higher education sector is in trouble. Dozens of universities are making redundancies and cuts to courses, trying to stay afloat amid uncertainty over where their money is coming from. 

The Education Committee will look under the bonnet at what is going on. In a focused single evidence session on 8 April, the Committee examined the perfect storm bearing down on institutions, including fluctuations in domestic and international student numbers, pension contributions, and the rate of tuition fees. 

On 13 May the Committee decided it wished to pursue a series of mini-inquiries relating to higher education. It was decided that the first mini-inquiry would concentrate on the urgent issues of the threat of insolvency in the higher education sector and international students.

The Transport Committee is carrying out an inquiry into the Government’s proposal for a revised National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP).

This inquiry will focus on drought management practices and policies and consider whether these are sufficient for responding to current and future droughts. The inquiry will cover impacts, monitoring, engagement and changes in supply and demand, aiming to identify opportunities for improved drought preparedness and response in England.

A fan-led review of live music has been launched by MPs, with the aim of improving the sustainability of grassroots live and electronic music to safeguard the success of the wider UK music industry.

The review will be undertaken by Lord Brennan of Canton, a member of the previous committee who published reports on the future of UK music festivals and economics of music streaming. The review will bring music lovers together to discuss ideas to protect the industry and ensure it works in the best interests of fans. It will consider the music fan experience, from the provision of live and electronic music through to considerations of safety, examine the sustainability of venues, and explore the barriers to touring faced by emerging artists. It will also look at the effectiveness of existing policies and how different levels of government support live music.

The review, announced by Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair Dame Caroline Dinenage at the SXSW London festival, was one of the recommendations from the predecessor committee’s report on grassroots music venues (paragraphs 20-23), published in the last Parliament. The report amplified concerns by venue operators, touring artists and independent promoters regarding the financial precarity of the grassroots music sector, with venues shutting at the rate of two a week and artists struggling to make tours viable. The committee also heard that fans are “massively underrepresented” in policymaking for the sector and concluded that “a comprehensive review of the live music ecosystem is needed to fully explore the long-term challenges and the interventions needed to protect it”.

More information, including about how to get involved in the review, will be made available in due course on this page.

This inquiry will examine the AUKUS partnership, a trilateral security agreement between Australia, the US and the UK which was announced in 2021. AUKUS will see the US and UK support Australia in acquiring a nuclear-powered submarine fleet alongside a deepening of co-operation between the three countries on other advanced military technologies. The Committee’s inquiry will consider how AUKUS is progressing against existing milestones and what challenges may need to be addressed to give it the greatest chance of success. It will consider how changes in the geopolitical situation since 2021 may impact the programme, and whether governance and accountability mechanisms across Whitehall are adequate. The full terms of reference can be found in the call for evidence.

A new inquiry into the future of the UK’s international aid and development assistance programmes has been launched by the International Development Committee.

It will examine how the UK can continue to deliver high impact international aid and development assistance in the face of a 40% budget cut as the Government seeks to fund increased defence spending in the name of national security.

Based on the most recent forecast for GNI, the cut in ODA from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI would mean that the aid budget in 2027 would be around £9.2 billion, compared to £15.4 billion if ODA was kept at 0.5%. Based on these estimates, the 0.3% target would provide about £6.1 billion less ODA than the 0.5% target.

The US has historically been by far the world’s largest aid donor in absolute terms, providing around 20% of all aid by OECD DAC Members each year. In February, the State Department said that USAID programmes to the value of $54 billion will be ended and $4.4 billion of programmes from the US State Department. In March, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that 82% of all USAID programmes would be ended (around 5,200 of the 6,200 programmes). Germany and France have also announced a cut to their ODA.

The reduction to 0.3% of GNI allocated to development assistance, to fund an increase in defence and security spending, and drastic reduction of aid provided by the UK’s partners, mark an inflection point for the Government – one the Committee wishes to investigate and to add its voice.

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Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large, complex group of about 14,000 synthetic chemicals used in a wide variety of everyday products. For example, PFAS are used to keep food from sticking to packaging or cookware, make clothes and carpets resistant to stains, and create firefighting foam that is more effective.  

PFAS chemicals do not degrade easily in the environment and for this reason they have often been referred to as ‘forever’ chemicals. Research has indicated that PFAS can lead to a range of health issues, such as decreased fertility, developmental delays in children, a higher risk of certain cancers and immune system suppression.  

Our inquiry will consider whether enough is being done to address the risks of PFAS in the UK and whether research institutions and the Environment Agency are equipped to detect and monitor their impact. It will also explore what regulatory mechanisms are in place across the UK and how they compare to other jurisdictions around the world, such as the European Union and the United States of America.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to examine the health of sport in local communities and schools and whether more can be done to sustain and grow sporting opportunities for all.

The inquiry will look at the funding available for sport in the community, how volunteers can be better supported and how to open up grassroots sport to under-represented groups. It will also look at the role of schools in delivering sporting opportunities both in and outside of school hours and how children can be supported to develop a positive life-long relationship with physical activity.

The Committee will additionally investigate the ways in which national and local government, clubs, sports organisations and sports governing bodies can work together to improve the delivery of school and grassroots sport.

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will be launching an inquiry into the future of UK-US relations.

The inquiry will assess the state of the transatlantic relationship, explore the impact a second Trump Administration may have on it (as well as the rules-based international order), and what trends in US foreign policy are likely to persist and influence the relationship beyond the next four years.

The Committee will start taking evidence on or shortly after president-elect Trump’s inauguration on 20 January 2025.

The Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee is launching an inquiry into “Innovation, growth and the regions” to assess the role of the UK’s innovation ecosystem in achieving the Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth across the country.

The inquiry will consider the role of structural factors—such as the tax system, regulatory requirements, and standards—in influencing the success of start-ups, spin-outs, and other innovation-focused enterprises.  The Committee will assess the health of the country’s innovation ecosystem across the nations and regions. It will look at the interplay of local and national government policy, access to investment, research clusters, and infrastructure in fostering innovation and making the regions an engine for growth.

It will explore how universities and businesses work together to commercialise research and to tackle obstacles such as funding and market access. It will evaluate the link between innovation and economic growth both regionally and nationally, drawing lessons from international comparators and considering the impact of regional clusters and hubs, including the Catapult network.

This inquiry will examine the drivers of extremism in the UK, with a focus on emerging trends of young people being drawn into extremism, violence and crime through online radicalisation. It will assess whether the Government’s approach is keeping pace with the evolving threat and evaluate the effectiveness of measures such as Prevent in combatting new forms of extremism.

The Government’s definition of extremism, updated in March 2024, describes it as “the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance that aims to (1) negate or destroy the fundamental rights and freedoms of others; (2) undermine, overturn or replace the UK’s system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights; or intentionally create a permissive environment for others to achieve the results in (1) or (2).”

Extremism poses a significant threat to community safety and national security. While not all those with extremist beliefs commit violence, they can result in radicalisation, denial of rights and opportunities, suppression of freedom of expression, incitement of hatred, erosion of democratic institutions, and acts of terrorism. The inquiry will examine how different parts of government and different policies are addressing these complex and inter-related dangers.  

The International Development Committee is launching a new inquiry into how the UK Government is involving the needs and voices of women in its development efforts.

The cross-party committee of MPs will explore the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, adopted by the United Nations, considering how this agenda is being incorporated into UK aid programmes, amid plans for the UK’s aid budget to be cut to 0.3% of GNI by 2027.

Women and girls are disproportionately vulnerable to conflict, accounting for more than 95% of all UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence in 2023. Today 600 million women, 15% of the world’s female population, live within 50 kilometres of a conflict zone.

The Committee’s inquiry will explore how much progress the UK has made in delivering its priorities for women and girls and whether its commitments have translated into substantive outcomes. It will also consider how it can ensure that women’s voices help to shape the policies that affect them.

The inquiry comes out of the Committee’s ‘In Development’ programme, which asked development experts to submit ideas for inquiries on the key issues shaping the sector.

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Misinformation and disinformation campaigns are increasingly weaponised by hostile state and non-state actors and this inquiry will seek to understand which actors are primarily responsible, and which channels and technologies are being used. It will seek to map motivations, sources and locations of the most pressing disinformation threats to democracy, and to understand the impact of artificial intelligence. The inquiry will examine how the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) can work with allies and multilateral organisations to combat the spread of disinformation that seeks to undermine democratic values and institutions. The inquiry will also ask how the Government can coordinate its counter-disinformation work across departments and best work with private organisations. This inquiry will take a regional approach by examining disinformation campaigns within Europe, the Americas, Indo-Pacific and Africa, to understand how the UK can better counter disinformation from malign actors.

Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry

This inquiry will consider whether the Ministerial Code adequately sets out what the House should expect of Ministers making the most important announcements of government policy.

We will ask whether those requirements are observed with sufficient rigour by Ministers. Additionally, we will consider the appropriate balance in deciding between a written or oral statement.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

The Foreign Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into the Government’s proposed reset of the UK-EU relationship. The inquiry will consider all facets of the reset, across the three “pillars” articulated by the Government (security, safety and prosperity) with a particular focus on how the reset process can be engaged to ensure the UK-EU partnership is able to respond to the challenging international context and the shared strategic challenges that the UK and EU face. The Committee will also consider the role of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in shaping and managing that relationship.

Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry.

This inquiry will explore the practical steps that would enable creative rightsholders to reserve and enforce their rights meaningfully in relation to AI systems; what levels of transparency and accountability can reasonably be expected from AI developers; and how licensing, attribution and labelling tools might support a viable marketplace for creative content.

This is a one off session examining issues around gendered Islamophobia. 

The session aims to understand the specific challenges facing Muslim women in the UK today. The session will examine the difficulties defining and agreeing on a definition of Islamophobia, the barriers women face reporting Islamophobia, and the ways gendered Islamophobia can be challenged. 

The UK has a long tradition of manufacturing motor vehicles, buses, aeroplanes, trains, and ships, but manufacturers in the transport industries are concerned about skills shortages. These industries are integral to the economic health of the communities they are based in, and they provide high-quality, British-built equipment for companies here and around the world.

This inquiry will explore current and future skills needs across the transport manufacturing sectors, and how the Government can support transport manufacturing in the UK by planning and investing in skills.

Read the call for evidence.

The Transport Committee is examining investment pipelines for the railway.

This inquiry will examine how a planned, steady pipeline of projects and investments (including elements such as track enhancements, station upgrades, and rolling stock orders) could benefit the development of the railway, including by enabling the rail supply industry to plan ahead, giving confidence to potential investors and potentially reducing costs and other frictions. The Committee is also interested in how the development of a long-term project pipeline could help address skills shortages in the rail industry.

Read the call for evidence.

The Government has introduced the Railways Bill to Parliament to legislate for its commitment to unify network operations with infrastructure management under a single organisation – Great British Railways.

The Bill is expected to go through ‘line by line’ scrutiny by a Public Bill Committee, which is separate to the Transport Committee. Given the significant public interest and the centrality of this legislation to the Government’s rail policy, the Transport Committee plans to make its own contribution to ensuring that the Bill contains the necessary means to deliver on that policy.

We plan to focus our scrutiny on three themes: passenger standards and experience, access to the railway, and the role of devolution in the GBR era.

Read the Terms of Reference

The first 1000 days of life, from conception to age two, are widely recognised as a critical period for child development, shaping long-term health, well-being, and life outcomes.The previous Committee examined this period in its 2019 First 1000 days of life inquiryconsidering national strategy, current spending and barriers to investment and local provision. Since then, there have been a number of significant policy developments in this area.The most notable being the shift to integrated care services (ICSs) under the previous Government in 2022.The current Government has allocated £126 million for early years support and the expansion of Family Hubs under its mission to “break down the barriers to opportunities”.The Committee’s inquiry will examine progress made since 2019, the effectiveness of family hubs and integrated care systems in improving early childhood outcomesand how inequalities in access can be most improved. 

Reforms introduced following the publication of the 2009 Report of the Reform of the House of Commons Committee, Rebuilding the House (‘the Wright Report’, so named after the Chair of the Committee, Tony Wright MP) included the election by the whole House for positions such as some select committee chairs and the Deputy Speakers.

The operation of these elections is governed by Standing Orders, however the practicalities around electioneering are not currently regulated, and there is often uncertainty about the types of voting system applied to each election, which varies depending on the position the House is electing.

This inquiry will look into the operation of these elections to positions within the House of Commons.

Following the announcement of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, the International Agreements Committee is opening an inquiry investigating the impacts and implications of the FTA for the UK. Our inquiry will investigate the terms of the FTA, any potential benefits and disadvantages to the UK, and examine how key provisions will work for important sectors. It will also take into account the bilateral relationship and the broader geopolitical context.

Call lists, or speakers lists, exist in many legislatures around the world, and were employed in the House of Commons during the Covid-19 pandemic to regulate the flow of debates in virtual/hybrid proceedings. Call lists can be a helpful tool in giving Members an indication of when they will be called to speak in a debate, and thus to plan their days more effectively, and in enabling the chair of a debate to decide time limits. However, there are also concerns about their impact on the flow of the debate.

This inquiry will examine the matter in detail, and consider any potential merits and drawbacks to using call lists for debates in the House of Commons.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is holding an inquiry to look at how land value capture policies - which seek to capture the value uplift on land that when it is granted planning permission - can contribute to the delivery of the Government’s house building plans and help fund affordable housing and public infrastructure.

One of the most frequently raised areas of interests during the committee’s call for views has been accessibility.  

This inquiry will consider the accessibility of the physical parliamentary estate and of Parliamentary procedures, language and information. The committee’s work will be focused on finding new ways of ensuring the work of the House of Commons is inclusive and more easily understood.  

There is currently work in progress to consider the plan for the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster and other parts of the Parliamentary estate, which this inquiry will not cover. This inquiry will not consider individual cases or complaints.  

The committee’s work on accessibility will be covering: 

• Access to the Parliamentary estate and its services.  
• Access to the House of Commons procedures and processes, and barriers to participation. 
• Access to Parliamentary information for MPs and the public.

The Environmental Audit Committee is seeking views on how the Government’s proposed reforms to national planning policy and housebuilding targets might affect environmental protections and current approaches to sustainable development.Read the terms of reference and find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's evidence portal here.

This inquiry looks into the growth of private markets in the UK following reforms introduced after 2008. In particular, the inquiry will examine whether the regulatory capital and liquidity reforms introduced after 2008 have reduced banks’ ability or willingness to lend, pushing risk away from the banking sector and towards private markets. It will also look into how much visibility the Bank of England has on the size of these private markets, their interconnections with the banking sector, and any potential spillover risks.

On 14 October 2024 the House of Commons agreed a motion to establish a committee, to be known as the Speaker’s Conference. That motion ordered that the Conference consider: 

• the factors influencing the threat levels against candidates and MPs, and 

• the effectiveness of the response to such threats, 

and make recommendations about: 

• the arrangements necessary to secure free and fair elections, and 

• the appropriate protection of candidates at future UK-wide parliamentary elections and of elected representatives thereafter. 

The committee has launched an inquiry on how to build the workforce that is needed to deliver the policies and infrastructure for the UK’s clean, secure energy mission.  

The inquiry aims to:   

• Explore the difficulties in recruiting and retraining the workforce to deliver a clean energy sector and retrofit homes and businesses;  

• Assess how the new Office for Clean Energy jobs can contribute to workforce planning;  

• Gain an understanding of the specific role of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in delivering clean energy jobs.

Send us your views: Proposal for a Draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order 2024.

On 4 December 2024, the Northern Ireland Office laid a proposal for a draft Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (Remedial) Order 2024 (the ‘Proposed Remedial Order’).

The Joint Committee on Human Rights would like to hear your views.

What is a remedial order?

A remedial order is a form of secondary legislation. They can be used to amend primary or secondary legislation in circumstances specified in section 10 and Schedule 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998. In particular, remedial orders can be used in response to declarations of incompatibility issued by the courts under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Background and Declarations of Incompatibility

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (‘the Legacy Act’) received Royal Assent on 18 September 2023. The Act was intended to “address the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles and promote reconciliation”.

Judicial review proceedings were brought against the Government in the High Court in Belfast in the case of Re Dillon and Others [2024] NIKB 11. The Applicants challenged the compatibility of various provisions of the Act with the European Convention on Human Rights (‘ECHR’), in particular:

• Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture) ECHR. Article 2 ECHR provides that everyone’s life shall be protected by law. Article 3 ECHR provides that no one shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Both Articles 2 and 3 of the ECHR impose an obligation on the state to ensure that there is an effective official investigation where conduct in breach of the relevant Article is suspected. The UK is obliged to have in place an effective system of criminal law which is capable of deterring the commission of offences by the prevention, investigation and sanctioning of breaches.
• Article 6 (right to a fair trial) ECHR. This right guarantees the right to fair and public hearings before an independent tribunal for determination of civil rights and obligations (or criminal charges). Article 6 can be limited in certain circumstances. However, any restriction must pursue a legitimate aim and be proportionate.

The High Court handed down its judgment on 28 February 2024. The High Court found the following provisions to be incompatible with the ECHR and issued declarations of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 in respect of them:

• The provisions providing for conditional immunity and prohibiting criminal enforcement action: sections 7(3), 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 39 and 42(1) of the Legacy Act. These provisions were found to be incompatible with Articles 2 and 3 ECHR;
• The retrospective bar to the continuation of all Troubles-related civil actions brought between the First Reading of the Bill in Parliament in May 2022 and the date it came into force in November 2023: section 43(1) of the Legacy Act. This provision was found to be incompatible with Article 6 ECHR;
• The exclusion of material provided to or produced by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery being used as evidence in other cases, such as civil and coronial proceedings: section 8 of the Legacy Act. This provision was found to be incompatible with Articles 2 and 6 ECHR; and
• The provisions related to the retrospective validation of defective interim custody orders and the bar on civil actions based on those defective interim custody orders: sections 46(2), (3) and (4) and 47(1) and (4) of the Legacy Act. These provisions were found to be incompatible with Article 6 ECHR and Article 1 of Protocol 1 to the ECHR.

The Government and the Applicants both appealed aspects of the High Court’s judgment to the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment on 20 September 2024 (Re Dillon and Others [2024] NICA 59). The Court of Appeal found the following additional aspects of the Legacy Act to be incompatible with the ECHR and issued declarations of incompatibility under section 4 of the Human Rights Act 1998 in respect of them:

• The provisions barring all future Troubles-related civil actions: section 43(2). This provision was found to be incompatible with Article 6 ECHR;
• The provisions related to disclosure of sensitive material. The Court of Appeal found aspects of the Legacy Act’s disclosure regime to be incompatible with Articles 2 and 3 ECHR; and
• The lack of provision in the Legacy Act for effective next of kin participation, especially in the form of Legal Aid for investigations being carried out by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery. The Court of Appeal found this to be incompatible with Articles 2 and 3 ECHR.

It was a manifesto commitment of the new Labour Government to “repeal and replace” the Legacy Act. In an oral statement on 4 December 2024 announcing the laying of the Proposed Remedial Order, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland set out that the Proposed Remedial Order would remedy all of the human rights deficiencies in the Legacy Act which had been identified by the High Court, as well as one of the issues identified by the Court of Appeal. The Secretary of State also indicated that the Government would introduce further primary legislation when parliamentary time allows to address the issue of inquests and other aspects of the Court of Appeal’s judgment. In parallel, the Government is seeking permission to appeal some aspects of the Court of Appeal’s judgment to the Supreme Court.

The Proposed Remedial Order

The Proposed Remedial Order seeks to remedy all of the incompatibilities found by the High Court in Northern Ireland and one of the incompatibilities found by the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland by:

• Removing the provisions in the Legacy Act which set up the conditional immunity scheme and the prohibition on criminal enforcement action (see Article 2 of the Proposed Remedial Order);
• Removing the ban on using evidence provided to or produced by the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery in civil proceedings and inquests (see Article 3 of the Proposed Remedial Order);
• Removing the bar on new and existing civil actions relating to the Troubles (see Article 4 of the Proposed Remedial Order);
• Removing the provisions which sought to retrospectively validate defective interim custody orders and prevent civil claims for compensation in relation to them (see Article 5 of the Proposed Remedial Order);
• Making various amendments to other enactments which are consequential on the above changes (see Article 6 of the Proposed Remedial Order).

The Proposed Remedial Order does not seek to resolve the other incompatibilities found by the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland, namely those relating to:

• Effective next of kin participation, including legal aid; and
• Disclosure of sensitive information.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is launching an inquiry into Government policy on the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.

On 4 December 2024, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced the Government’s next steps to ‘repeal and replace’ the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. This inquiry will examine the Government’s outlined approach, which includes a commitment to restart civil cases and to legislate on inquests, information disclosure and the powers of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). It will ask whether the Government’s proposals deliver for victims, survivors and their families, and also explore areas where the Government’s plans remain unclear, such as on its approach to reconciliation.

Read our call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry and how to contribute your views.

In November 2020, the Government announced a reduction of Official Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.7 per cent to 0.5 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI), a “temporary measure” until a set of certain fiscal rules were met. In the 2024 Autumn Budget, the Government confirmed that the FCDO would be held to the previous government’s fiscal rules, with the OBR confirming that these rules, and therefore a restoration of the aid budget, are not expected to be met during the life of this Parliament. With the UK’s aid budget being under further strain due to Home Office spend on in-donor refugee costs, it becomes increasingly important that the FCDO ensures Value for Money on its programme spending.

In 2011, the former Department for International Development (DFID) published its Value for Money framework, setting out how the Department defined Value for Money, and how this was integrated within its work. This framework set out that Value for Money in DFID’s programme meant “maximising the impact of each pound spent to improve poor people’s lives”, and outlined the intention of DFID to “improve the Value for Money of all aid”, not just DFID’s own. No similar framework has been published by the FCDO since DFID merged with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 2020.

This inquiry will consider not just how the FCDO defines Value for Money and how this is implemented within its programming, but also its use of financing instruments to ensure that ODA achieves maximum impact.

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This inquiry will examine the UK’s contribution to European Security. It will examine the UK's contribution to NATO and its bilateral defence relationships with other European countries. This inquiry will look at the UK's contribution to multilateral frameworks outside of NATO. In addition, it will explore the UK's NATO and non-NATO European commitments. The inquiry will also examine where the UK provides niche capabilities and where other European Allies might be relied upon to provide them.

The inquiry will assess UK Defence’s standing in the region and whether the UK's contribution to European security is both cohesive and effective.

Wales has a long tradition of farming, and the sector is integral to the Welsh economy. In 2022, agriculture, fishing and forestry accounted for 1.8% of total employment in Wales and over 90% of the land area of Wales is utilised for farming. Our predecessor Committee reported that in 2020, the gross output of agriculture in Wales was worth £1.7 billion to the Welsh economy, with agriculture comprising 1% of the total Gross Value Added for Wales.

Agriculture is devolved to the Welsh Government, and the items related to agriculture that are reserved to the UK Government are:

• International Trade;
• Taxation;
• Banking and Loans;
• Immigration and Migration Policy.

With these reserved competencies in mind, the Committee is inviting written submissions by 14 April 2025. These should focus on:

1. Within the scope of its reserved responsibilities, what support is the UK Government providing to the Welsh farming sector and what support from the UK Government does the sector require?

2. What is the potential impact of the UK Government’s proposed inheritance tax reforms on farms in Wales?

3. What is the potential impact of the UK Government’s decision to replace the ring-fenced funding for agriculture with ‘Barnettised’ agricultural funding for farms in Wales?

4. How has the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union affected farms in Wales?

5. How has the export market for Welsh agricultural goods evolved since the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union?

          a. Do farms in Wales currently have access to the skilled and seasonal labour they need?

          b. WHat could the UK Government's proposed 'UK-EU reset' achieve for the farming sector in Wales?

The Justice Committee has launched its inquiry into Resettlement and Rehabilitation, which is centred around investigating the cycle of reoffending. 

HM Prison and Probation Service aims to reduce reoffending by rehabilitating the people in its care through education and employment. However, reoffending in England and Wales remains high. For the year ending December 2023, 78% of all offenders cautioned or convicted for an indictable offence in 2023 had at least one prior caution or conviction. 

The Committee has decided to investigate the journey of an offender through the criminal justice system and examine what offer of rehabilitation and resettlement the offender has the ability to engage with, to prevent future reoffending. 

The inquiry sets out to look at what the regime offer is in different prisons and for different prisoner cohorts. It will also look at services in prison and whether they encompass principles of desistance and purposeful activity. The inquiry will also investigate governance in prisons, including staffing and contracting, and to what extent it impacts the ability to deliver rehabilitative services in prison. 

The inquiry will also look at what support is available for ex-offenders’ post-release, and whether there is sufficient join up, data sharing and capacity of these services to deliver effective resettlement services. The inquiry will also consider alternatives to custody, and what impact licence recall conditions have on promoting resettlement, and the role of community sentencing. 

Read the terms of reference for more detail about the inquiry, and to submit evidence. 

The European Affairs Committee is holding an inquiry into the ‘reset’ of UK-EU relations that the Government is pursuing. The inquiry has two main themes: the substance of the reset, involving questions about what the reset is or should be; and the reset process, involving questions about how the Government pursues it with the EU and the role of interested parties in the UK. The inquiry is expected to consider topics including the Government’s overall approach and negotiating priorities, the relationship between the reset and the forthcoming review of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and the relationship between the reset and UK relationships beyond the EU.

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine the barriers women face pursuing entrepreneurialism. The inquiry will analyse in which sectors of the economy women face the greatest obstacles to entrepreneurship and why, and consider what can be done to address these.

The Home Office has a duty to provide housing and subsistence to asylum seekers who are awaiting a decision on their claim and are destitute.

Asylum accommodation is primarily delivered by private providers through the Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC). Home Office spending on asylum accommodation and support has increased significantly in recent years, from £739 million in 2019-20 to £4.7 billion in 2023-4.

The Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into asylum accommodation. The inquiry will focus on how asylum accommodation is currently delivered, how the Home Office has managed the AAS contracts, and what lessons can be learned and applied to delivery of asylum accommodation in the future. The inquiry will also look at the impact that the current approach to delivering asylum accommodation has on local areas, and how the Home Office works with local partners, particularly local authorities.

Energy lies at the core of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Yet, the international community remains largely off track in meeting these commitments. According to the International Energy Agency, around 750 million people lack access to electricity, and more than 2 billion people lack access to clean cooking fuels, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Future energy systems need to be renewable, inclusive, and resilient. Decentralised energy, where generation and governance occur closer to the point of use, is gaining traction as a way to achieve these goals. ‘Community energy’ is one approach within this broader shift, ensuring that people play a central role in decision-making and ownership. Whether through local control or collective governance, these systems give communities a direct stake in their energy future. More broadly, decentralised energy models, ranging from cooperative solar projects to independent microgrids, can accelerate the deployment of renewables and generate significant local socio-economic benefits. However, challenges such as financing constraints, technical capacity, and regulatory hurdles continue to limit their expansion.

This inquiry will explore locally led development in the context of energy systems. It will assess the UK Government’s role in addressing global energy poverty while promoting clean energy and strengthening local communities abroad. It will seek to understand how much Official Development Assistance (ODA) supports localised energy projects, how effective and transformative this funding is, and where gaps exist in financing, technology, and capacity-building. It is interested in understanding the value-for-money of financing localised energy projects, accounting for their full environmental and social benefits.

Join the conversation on X using @CommonsIDC

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on airport expansion and climate and nature targets. In this inquiry the Committee is seeking to:

• establish the climate and environmental targets which Ministers ought to ensure are met under its policy to support airport expansion;

• examine current projections for aviation demand, for aviation emissions and for the reduction of emissions and other negative environmental impacts, through technological developments and other means;

• ascertain what environmental and climate conditions the Government ought to establish for airport developments through the use of planning policy statements, and

• consider how Ministers should seek to maintain aviation’s compliance with climate and environmental targets and what policy safeguards might be necessary to achieve this.

Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's online evidence submission portal.

The Justice Committee has launched an inquiry that will examine the scale and impact of drugs in prisons in England and Wales, including the primary factors driving demand. The inquiry will consider the implications of drug misuse in prisons including safety, security, staffing and prisoner well-being. 

The inquiry will look into the supply of drugs into prisons, the involvement of organised criminal gangs in the distribution and trafficking of drugs in prisons, plus the use of technology including drones and mobile phones in facilitating the process. It will also analyse the effectiveness of current measures to tackle the issue, including drug testing and drug treatment for prisoners, substance-free wings and screening tools.

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on flood resilience in England, focusing on how flood resilience can be strengthened in response to increasing risks from extreme weather, rising sea levels, and evolving flood hazards.

Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's online evidence submission portal.

Undersea cables form the backbone of the world’s internet. The UK has around 60 cables which connect us to the outside world, carrying 99% of our data. Concern has been growing about the risk of these cables being sabotaged by foreign states. The consequences would be extensive. This inquiry will examine the UK’s ability to defend our undersea infrastructure, alongside the UK’s national resilience in the event of a major, protracted disruption to our internet connection.

The further education sector is currently navigating a series of reforms and challenges. In this inquiry the Education Committee will explore these issues and other pressures currently facing the further education sector, including the pay gap between school and college teachers, maths and English GCSE resits, students’ mental health.

Read the call for evidence

2024 saw a continuing rise in global displacement, with at least 117.3 million people forced to flee their homes, including nearly 43.4 million refugees, around 40% of whom are under the age of 18. These vast movements of peoples, and the associated costs and disruptions, can cause significant problems in host countries.

Building on the work on long-term refugees by the previous Committee, the Committee intends to look at the effectiveness of Official Development Assistance spending on a range of activity aimed at supporting displaced people across the globe. A major topic of the inquiry will be the FCDO’s consideration of civilians at the beginning of conflicts, and whether the appropriate support and assistance is offered. Furthermore, the Committee will investigate the effectiveness of ODA spending on support for people displaced by climate disasters. The Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, now replaced by the Integrated Security Fund, was intended to consider these issues, but questions remain about its effectiveness.

Integral to the Committee’s inquiry will be consideration of the drivers that force people to flee and what forms of early intervention work to prevent displacement. Once people become displaced, the Committee wants to examine what happens to them as they leave home and how their return home is facilitated. Across all of this, the Committee will consider whether what the UK Government is currently doing to keep displaced people safe is working.

The Committee is also interested in the value for money of ODA spent on housing displaced people within the UK. Finally, the Committee will evaluate Government progress against the recommendations made by the Committee in its May 2023 Report, “UK aid for refugee host countries”, including on Government support for host countries of long-term refugees, such as Jordan.

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The Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) will hold a session in Parliament on Wednesday, 5 March to look at the prevalence and impact of female genital mutilation (FGM) in the UK and to examine the work of the UK Government to prevent FGM and to address the health consequences of survivors of FGM.

This inquiry considers how effectively the UK uses its position at the UNSC (United Nations Security Council) to influence and bring about an end to global conflict, whilst advancing its goals for a rules-based international order. It will focus on countries for which the UK is a ‘Penholder’ at the UN. This includes (but is not limited to) Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The inquiry asks how the UK, as Penholder for these countries, has sought to reduce conflict and instability, and considers practices that have brought about previous successes, drawing upon lessons learned. It also asks how this position may be used more effectively. In its assessment of the UNSC, this inquiry examines the extent to which the Security Council is an effective tool to further conflict resolution, and considers how increasing polarisation on the Security Council may hinder this objective. Finally, this inquiry assesses the relationship between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the UK’s representation at the UN.  

Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry

This inquiry is examining the legal and policy challenges faced in setting up and running the pilot Safer Drugs Consumption Facility (SDCF) which opened in Glasgow in January 2025. This inquiry will examine the case for the facility, as well as its medical effectiveness in reducing drug-related harm in Scotland. The Committee will consider the current legal position of the SDCF, what challenges this presents, and what statutory and policy changes at a UK level might be necessary to enable the facility to operate sustainably beyond its three-year pilot.

This inquiry follows up on relevant aspects of the Scottish Affairs Committee’s previous work on this issue in the 2017-19 Parliament.

Read the terms of reference for more detail about the inquiry.

The Government is launching an update to the National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure, which govern development consent for major energy installations. One of the leading aims of the policy update is to give greater clarity about the weight planners should give to competing interests including economic, ecological, energy supply and security, and even aesthetic considerations, which can severely slow or even halt infrastructure planning decisions in their tracks. And time is of the essence: Government's Clean Power 2030 target will require most new electricity transmission and offshore wind projects to secure planning consent by next year, and most large-scale onshore projects will need that consent by 2028.   

The Government has indicated that it wants to remove planning ‘blocks’ to the infrastructure development needed for its energy, industrial and growth strategies – but will these updates to the National Policy Statements fit the bill?  

Can they really help balance the thorny issues around the competing, legitimate aims and interests of national energy needs, local communities and the natural environment?   

A key example is the question of electricity cabling: it can cost up to ten times as much to bury power cables as to run them on pylons overhead. But strong community objections to pylons on mainly aesthetic grounds can hold up the necessary planning consents - time that national energy needs, targets and strategy now do not have. Where should the balance lie? Do the policy statement updates do enough to help planners decide? 

Alongside the Government’s consultation on the new policy statements the Committee is launching a quick call for evidence, seeking stakeholder views on the impact of the policy changes.  

Many stakeholders will be making detailed submissions to the Government consultation on the same short timeline: the Committee would welcome submission of the “highlights” or key elements of these more detailed responses to Government, to be considered by the Committee and synthesised into our own recommendations to the Government.   

On that basis, the Committee is seeking evidence submissions by 5pm on May 12th from all interested stakeholders on any or all of the following areas in the three updated National Policy Statements for energy infrastructure:  

Overarching National Policy Statement for energy (EN-1)

National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure (EN-3)

National Policy Statement for electricity networks infrastructure (EN-5)

The UK is embarking on an ambitious programme of investment in nuclear energy, seeking to reverse decades of declining capacity. The Government is counting on new nuclear to help deliver energy security and decarbonise electricity generation. Announcing funding for the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in June, the Energy Secretary said “we need new nuclear to deliver a golden age of clean energy abundance.”

But past promises of a golden age of nuclear energy have so far failed to materialise. A new reactor has not been connected to the grid for 30 years. Nuclear projects have historically faced unique barriers, including complex regulatory and planning processes. The Government now aims to deliver reforms to streamline planning approvals and give greater certainty to developers.

Consultation and scrutiny of EN-7

The National Policy Statement for Nuclear Energy Generation (EN-7) has been put forward to help guide planners as they seek to make decisions on siting new nuclear infrastructure.

Under the Planning Act 2008, a National Policy Statement (NPS) like EN-7 must undergo public consultation and parliamentary scrutiny before it can be formally designated.

EN-7 has undergone two rounds of consultation: the first focused on potential changes to the nuclear siting approach; the second introduced the full draft text.

The Committee is now beginning the parliamentary scrutiny process, offering MPs the opportunity to hear from industry, experts, and the public to examine the implications of the framework set out in EN-7 in detail.

What is EN-7?

EN-7 is intended to become the principal guide for decisions on future nuclear power stations in England and Wales.

Nuclear infrastructure proposals are currently limited to eight sites in England and Wales. EN-7 replaces this with a criteria-based approach. It is also intended to support development of a broader range of nuclear technologies like Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), as well as traditional gigawatt-scale plants.

The aim is to create a future-proof planning framework that enables a pipeline of new nuclear projects to come forward.

Call for Evidence

The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee is now inviting written submissions to help assess whether EN-7 provides a coherent and effective framework for enabling the UK’s nuclear ambitions.

The Committee has launched an inquiry into Pensioner Poverty: challenges and mitigations.

The Government’s decision to restrict the Winter Fuel Payment eligibility and to hold a pensions review has raised the question of pension adequacy. 

We are launching this inquiry looking at the state of pensioner poverty in the UK. Which groups are most affected? What are the health impacts? How do the State Pension and other pension age benefits mitigate the risks? What part is played by measures such as the Household Support Fund? How do these vary in the devolved nations? We want to find out what else is needed and how to improve access to and take-up of Pension Credit and other support.

Read the call for evidence to learn more about the inquiry.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights is conducting legislative scrutiny of the Crime and Policing Bill to assess its compatibility with international and domestic human rights standards. 

The Government’s stated purpose for the Bill is to support its mission to halve knife crime and violence against women and girls in a decade, to increase public confidence in policing and the wider criminal justice system, to support neighbourhood policing and give the police the powers they need to tackle anti-social behaviour, crime and terrorism, whilst introducing reforms to ensure that law enforcement agencies perform to high standards and focus on front-line policing. Many of the changes proposed by the Bill would engage the human rights of victims, perpetrators and other members of the public

Buses are England’s most widely used form of public transport. However, in many parts of the country, both service provision and passenger numbers are in decline. The Transport Committee will examine the role of bus services in connecting rural communities with nearby towns and suburban areas.

The inquiry will evaluate the effectiveness of recent Government policy in tackling the decline in bus services. It will explore the social and economic consequences of poor connectivity and consider whether innovations in alternative service models could provide solutions. The Committee will also scrutinise how the Government’s proposed bus reforms address the particular challenges faced by rural areas and local authorities outside of major cities.

Please read the call for evidence for more detail about this inquiry.

The inquiry will ask how the UK and its allies can help to achieve a ceasefire and lasting end to the war in Gaza and Lebanon.  

Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry

The Committee’s inquiry will explore how transnational repression affects the human rights of people living in the UK. The inquiry will examine the effectiveness of the UK’s current legal and policy frameworks in relation to transnational repression, and the assistance available to the victims of such attacks.

The Work and Pensions Committee is undertaking a short inquiry into the impact of the Government’s proposals to reform the disability and health related benefits system, as set out in the Pathways to Work Green Paper.

The Committee is not putting out a call for evidence, but the terms of reference are:

• to explore the issues with the social security system the Green Paper is seeking to address;
• to explore the evidence of the impacts of welfare changes on poverty and employment;
• to explore the experience of sick and disabled people of the current welfare system and their views on the impacts the changes could have on them; and
• to explore the link between health status and worklessness, and the potential impacts of the welfare changes on health status

In the July 2024 General Election, a record six independent candidates were elected to the House of Commons. In September 2024, five of those MPs informed the Speaker that they were forming an independent grouping in Parliament as a ‘technical group’, rather than a political party.  This letter has given rise to questions about the status of parliamentary groupings under House of Commons procedures, and the status of independent MPs as a whole.

As well as those who were elected as independents, the last few parliaments have seen many more ‘independent’ MPs, with ‘losing the whip’ being a common event which can now occur in different ways, and does happen more frequently, than in the past. There is therefore the potential for a significant number of ‘independent’ MPs at any given point in the course of a Parliament.

This inquiry is looking into the procedural status of independent MPs – both individually and collectively – in the House of Commons.

This short inquiry is aimed at influencing the content of the Government’s new VAWG strategy, which is expected later this year.

The aim is to examine the link between funding and outcomes. The inquiry will explore themes around funding that the Government needs to address in its strategy to be able to meet its policy objective of halving VAWG in a decade.

Please note that the Committee is unable to consider or assist with individual cases. If you are in immediate danger, contact the police.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, the Government has published information about helplines and websites that may be able to help.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

As Government seeks to reform local government finance, this inquiry will consider whether the local government finance system is fit for purpose and assess how it can meet the needs of local authorities and service users.

It will explore how much control local authorities have over their own finances and whether this is enough to achieve financial sustainability.

This inquiry will examine the framework for fiscal devolution in Scotland. The Committee will evaluate the effectiveness of the Barnett formula and the fiscal framework in calculating the amount of money available for providing devolved services in Scotland. As part of this, the Committee will examine the interaction between UK Government fiscal events and in-year budgetary changes, and the impact they can have on the funding of Scotland's public services.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

On 23 October 2024, the House agreed to reintroduce proxy voting arrangements for serious long-term illness and injury by making changes to Standing Order No. 39A. These arrangements mirror those that were in place at the end of the last Parliament. They are, however, time limited, and will expire at the end of the present Session of Parliament.  

The Leader of the House of Commons wrote to the Chair on 8 October 2024 asking the Committee to review the operation of the temporary arrangements, and to report on their operation before the end of the Session.  

In her response of 7 November, the Chair indicated that the Committee would also be willing to consider as part of its review any further additions or changes to these temporary arrangements proposed by the Government. 

On 25 November, the House of Commons agreed to further extend proxy voting arrangements to include complications relating to pregnancy, and extended absence for fertility treatment, as set out in the Leader’s letter to the Chair on 19 November 2024. These arrangements will also be considered as part of this review. 

Following the publication of the Electoral Commission report on the general election 2024, the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee are considering the issue of the administration, process and conduct of the 2024 general election and how these could be improved for future elections.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

This inquiry will seek to establish a clear vision for what good media literacy would look like in the UK, and examine the barriers to achieving this vision. The committee will consider the roles and responsibilities of the Government, industry and regulators in advancing media literacy, and aim to identify and prioritise the key actions required to enhance media literacy skills across the population. 

Unequal division of childcaring responsibilities is a key driver of wider gender inequality and the gender pay gap. The Women and Equalities Committee is examining options for reform of the statutory shared parental leave scheme and statutory paternity rights with the aim of identifying the most effective ways of incentivising more equal sharing of childcare and wider domestic responsibilities between mothers and their partners.

Our first industrial strategy inquiry will take a comprehensive look at the Government's proposals for a 10-year modern industrial strategy, as set out in Invest 2035.  We will scrutinise the proposals in the Government’s Green Paper, and its forthcoming White Paper, and make recommendations for the Comprehensive Spending Review. 

The Joint Committee on Human Rights is conducting legislative scrutiny of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to assess its compatibility with international and domestic human rights standards. 

The Government’s stated purpose for the Bill is to improve UK border security and strengthen the asylum and immigration system by creating a framework of new and enhanced powers and offences that, when taken together, reinforce, strengthen and connect capabilities across the relevant government and law enforcement partners which make up the UK’s border security, asylum and immigration systems.

Street works are works carried out by utility companies to install, repair or maintain their services, which involve digging up roads or pavements. (These are distinct from works being done to the road itself). Although necessary to provide utility services, street works can be disruptive to road and pavement users and can affect surface quality in the long term.

This inquiry will look at the effects of street works on surface quality and maintenance costs, and how well local authorities are able to manage disruption for road and pavement users. This will include looking at the processes used for notification of works and issuing permits, and whether there are further opportunities to minimise the impact of street works.

Please read the call for evidence for more detail about this inquiry.

The Environmental Audit Committee in the 2024 Parliament has revived the predecessor Environmental Audit Sub-Committee on Polar Research’s inquiry into The UK and the Antarctic Environment.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about this revived inquiry.

The oral and written evidence taken in the original inquiry is available here.

You can submit fresh evidence, or evidence to supplement a submission to the original inquiry, until 5pm on Monday 23 December.

The Committee’s inquiry into misogyny in music looked at:

• What types of support exists for women experiencing sexism or misogyny in the music industry? How can they report problems or abuse? 
• How safe do women and girls feel at live music concerts and festivals? 
• What expectations are there on women working in the music industry compared to men?  
• What steps should the Government and other industry bodies take to tackle misogynistic and sexist attitudes towards women in music? 

The Committee published a set of recommendations in its report in January 2024 and the Government responded to these in April 2024. The Committee is now taking further evidence to assess what progress has been made since the publication of its report.

The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking an inquiry on governing the marine environment, which will focus on the UK's environmental obligations under marine treaties and how the UK is delivering on them, as well as the Government's strategy for marine planning and protection in its domestic waters.

Read the call for evidence for more information about this inquiry, and to find out how to submit written evidence through the Committee's online evidence submission portal.

International humanitarian law includes important rules to facilitate the passage of humanitarian relief such as food, clothing and medical supplies as well as rules on the protection of humanitarian personnel. In addition, UN Security Council resolutions have called for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian personnel. Yet, in recent years there have been concerning trends in the adherence to IHL by combatant parties in conflict. In particular, there are increasingly frequent accounts of cases where the requirements for access to allow the delivery of relief material and the protections for those who deliver it have been ignored.

Taking protection of humanitarian workers, the Aid Worker Security Database reports that in 2023, 280 workers died delivering aid. Of the 595 aid workers killed, injured or kidnapped that year, 95% were staff local to the crisis. In terms of humanitarian access, ACAPS assessed that between November 2022 and June 2023, crisis-affected populations in 37 countries were experiencing “extreme access constraints”, up by 5 on the previous period.

This inquiry will seek to understand what the UK Government is doing to address the root causes of this problem through encouraging parties to adhere to IHL. It will also examine how provision for the protection and support of aid delivery workers is built into the Government’s funding arrangements with delivery partners.

This is an opportunity for the Committee to receive oral and written evidence on efforts of the UK Government in encouraging the adherence to IHL by international actors as well as its own responsibilities to the protection of aid workers delivering UK ODA.

Join the conversation on X using @CommonsIDC

The agricultural sector is experiencing a period of significant change as it transitions away from a legacy direct payments regime towards nation-specific farming schemes.  

The future of farming inquiry will provide consistent scrutiny of the issues facing the sector as it transitions. It will focus on farmers, farming communities and the agricultural sector, and seek to engage with these stakeholders in formal calls for evidence, public evidence sessions, visits, engagement events and consultation.  

The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis. The Committee will produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry.  

Topics for scrutiny will include, but are not limited to: 

• agricultural education and careers;

• Defra’s farming and countryside programme (Environmental Land Management Schemes); 

• food security;  

• innovation and agri-tech; 

• land use;  

• nature-friendly farming;  

• profitability of farming; and 

• tenant farming.  

This inquiry will engage the Committee’s cross-cutting work on supporting rural and coastal communities.  

If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: [email protected]   

Building on the evidence received in the previous Committee’s Heating our homes inquiry, the Committee will hold a one-off session on Retrofitting homes for net zero. The Committee will invite two stakeholder panels to consider the policy changes needed to deliver low carbon heating and energy efficient homes. 

The Committee is not making a full new call for evidence for this session, but if you are an interested stakeholder and would like to share your views please email the Committee at [email protected]  

Successive governments have presented reform ideas for adult social care, yet few of these have been implemented. This inquiry seeks to understand what this inaction is costing. We will investigate the cost of inaction to individuals, the NHS, local authorities and also to the wider economy and HM Treasury, focussing not only on the financial cost, but also on the personal costs and on potential benefits that are being missed. The inquiry will consider social care for both older and working age adults.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is to continue work from the last Parliament examining the challenges faced by the British film and high-end television industry and how the sector and its workforce can be better supported.

Previous Committee inquiry: British film & high-end tv

The new inquiry will build on the successes of the last. It will continue to examine the attractiveness of the UK as a global destination for production and what more could be done  to ensure it has the skilled workforce it needs. It will also look at the ethical use of artificial intelligence in film-making and probe the work of the BFI and the Government’s vision for the sector.

Disorder took place in several UK cities between 30 July and 7 August 2024, following the violent events in Southport on 29 July.

The Government has reported that over 40,000 additional officer shifts were worked by public order officers over the course of ten days, with 6,600 officers deployed on one day alone. As of 29 October 2024, 1,590 arrests had been made in response to the disorder.

The Home Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry to consider the policing response to the disorder in England and Wales.

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is launching a follow-up inquiry into the funding of public services in Northern Ireland.

The inquiry is looking at the challenges facing Northern Ireland’s public services (including health, education and the police) and considering: Northern Ireland’s level of need relative to the rest of the UK; the implications of the Autumn Budget for NI public services; and what measures might be included in Northern Ireland's Final Fiscal Framework, including options for raising revenue.

This inquiry will examine the Armed Forces Covenant, the UK’s commitment to ensuring that members of the Armed Forces community are supported and treated fairly. The inquiry will explore whether the Covenant is working, examine areas where serving or former personnel and their families continue to face difficulties, and consider how the Covenant might be updated or expanded in scope. The Government has indicated that changes to the Covenant could be brought in during the next Parliamentary session as part of the next Armed Forces Bill; the recommendations of this inquiry will be able to inform that legislation.

The Committee has written to the Secretary of State to request that serving personnel be allowed to contribute evidence to this inquiry. The Committee is awaiting a decision from the Secretary of State.

This short inquiry will scrutinise issues around the quality of temporary accommodation provision and pressures on local authority finances in England. The inquiry will consider how children and families in temporary accommodation could be better supported by Government, local authorities, and accommodation providers.

The UK-Romania Defence Cooperation Agreement replaces earlier commitments made in Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed in 1996 and 2019 with provisions that are legally binding.

The UK-Australia Defence Cooperation Agreement updates a Defence and Security Cooperation Treaty in force since 2014 to reflect a more modern partnership. This report considers both Agreements and reports the Agreements to the House for information.

The newly re-formed Business and Trade Committee is launching its first call for evidence on the Government’s new flagship Employment Rights Bill.

The new Government has announced a comprehensive overhaul of employment law in what it is calling the ‘biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation.’  The ‘Plan to Make Work Pay’ sets out the Government’s agenda to boost wages, reduce insecure work and grow Britain’s economy. 

The wide-ranging Bill currently passing through Parliament (you can track its progress here) sets out to: 

• Ban exploitative zero-hours contracts 
• End ‘Fire and Rehire’ and ‘Fire and Replace’ 
• Make parental leave, sick pay and protection from unfair dismissal a day one right 
• Strengthen statutory sick pay 
• Make flexible working the default from day one 
• Strengthen protections for pregnant women and new mothers returning to work  
• Strengthen protections from sexual harassment at work 
• Strengthen legislation around the allocation of tips 
• Strengthen protections around collective redundancy 
• Introduce a new right to bereavement leave 
• Establish a new Single Enforcement Body, called the Fair Work Agency 
• Establish Fair Pay Agreements in the adult social care sector 
• Reinstate the School Support Staff Negotiating Body 
• Upgrade Trade Union legislation

The Committee is launching this inquiry, which will take written and oral evidence with a view to informing the later stages of the Bill’s passage through Parliament, to help assess whether it will achieve these aims. Areas to consider include: 

• How the Bill will contribute to the Government’s stated goal of achieving the fastest growth in the G7.
• Whether the Employment Rights Bill will adequately protect workers, improve security at work and raise living standards in every part of the country.
• The impact the Bill will have on businesses, in particular investment rates, start-up rates, the supply of labour and the employment rate.
• How to ensure adequate protection against exporting poor labour standards, including concerns over forced labour in international supply chains.

This inquiry is examining the challenges facing SMEs seeking to scale up in the UK. We are focusing on firms working in AI, and creative technology. We are looking at what actions are needed from Government and industry over the next 5 years to maximise the economic potential of these sectors and secure competitive advantage.

Responsibility for specific areas of the constitution is spread broadly across government and roles are often overlapping. The Committee is conducting a short inquiry into where executive responsibility for the UK constitution as a whole lies within the new Government, with a focus on how responsible ministers are to work effectively together to ensure a common understanding of the integrity of the UK constitution.

The Committee will hear evidence from charities, researchers, HR professionals, employers and trade unions about workplace support for women and their partners who experience miscarriage and pregnancy loss.  This will include examining the case for extending eligibility for parental bereavement leave.

Written questions (WPQs) allow MPs to ask for information on the work, policy and activities of Government departments, related bodies, and the administration of Parliament.

The cross-Whitehall performance standard is 85% for timely provision of written answers, where responses are deemed ‘on time’ for Ordinary Questions if they are provided within five working days of being tabled, and deemed ‘on time’ for Named Day questions if answers are provided by the specified date.

Since 2010, the Procedure Committee has been routinely engaged in the monitoring of Government responses to WPQs. The Committee is currently analysing departments’ performance in responding to WPQs during the 2023–24 Session, and will produce its report in due course.

This inquiry will examine how advice and legal services are adapting to secure access to justice across civil, criminal, and family law, and the impacts of the cyber-attack on the Legal Aid Agency.

In 2022-23, the Justice Committee undertook a broad inquiry on the Future of Legal Aid, looking at the challenges facing legal aid clients and providers and how they might be tackled. That inquiry built upon work undertaken by the Committee in 2015 on the impact of changes to civil legal aid under Part 1 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.

This inquiry will consider how the provision of legal advice and representation, and supplementary advice services, have developed in response to the restrictions on the provision of legal aid. It will focus on the scope for future innovation in the nature of services, funding, regulation and technology to support effective access to justice in England and Wales.

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee is holding an inquiry into the affordability of home ownership. Its focus is on people who are looking to buy property for themselves and their families to live in (owner-occupier), as opposed to those who purchase property to rent out as private accommodation (buy-to-let) or as speculative investment.

This inquiry considers the challenges faced by first-time buyers and those on lower incomes to getting, and staying, on the housing ladder, as well as ways that interventions such as financial products and Government policies can help people overcome those challenges.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee is inviting written submissions on the future of the BBC as part of a new inquiry into the Royal Charter Review. 

The review of the BBC Charter, which sets out how the broadcaster is governed, regulated and funded, takes place about every ten years. The current process started with the launch of the Government’s consultation in December. 

To help shape the next Charter, which is due to come into effect at the start of 2028, the Committee is now launching an inquiry on the future purpose, governance and funding of the corporation ahead of making its recommendations to the Government. 

This inquiry examines why and how Black people face disproportionate risks of homelessness. It will also consider what measures the Government should include in its upcoming cross-departmental homelessness and rough sleeping strategy.

The ability of the Government to make difficult decisions and to change the way in which energy is generated and used in the UK will depend on being able to bring the population along with them.

There is a vocal opposition to net zero (which includes energy transition proposals), that has grown in strength, with the potential to damage the political will to carry it through. 

This inquiry would seek to detail the objectives of the Government's plans for the energy transition, whether the public have the same understanding those objectives and if there is a willingness to accept potential short term, or long term, detriment in terms of finance and convenience to achieve that aim.

Our role as the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee is to shine a light on issues in business and trade policy. This is an opportunity to inform our work and tell us where to look. 

We want to know your views on the Government’s goals to:

• Become the economy with the fastest sustained economic growth in the G7.
• Deliver a ‘pro-business, pro-worker’ agenda with rising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom.
• Develop closer trading relationships with others, including with the European Union.
• Maintain the UK’s status as a global leader in protecting consumers.

The Business and Trade Committee (BTC) is looking to scrutinise the most important topics that could help the UK reach the fastest sustainable growth in the G7. This will allow us to create practical recommendations for the Department for Business and Trade to deliver change.

We are looking to hear from as many of the following groups across the UK in November and December 2024:

• Businesses
• Consumer Groups
• Trade Unions
• Local Government
• Academics

The Committee would welcome your thoughts on these matters. Please check back to this page in the coming days to find a link to the survey.

In this inquiry, the Business and Trade Committee will scrutinise the Government’s approach to economic engagement with China. In particular, it will assess the potential net benefits to the UK of deeper economic integration with China, and how these benefits compare to the risks that closer ties with China may bring.

The Committee will aim to clarify the precise nature of the economic relationship between the UK and China, setting out the risks involved and determining the relative level of risk for different areas of economic engagement. It will assess the way Government weighs trade-offs and makes decisions, the effectiveness of the its existing regulatory toolkit and implementation. Finally, it will explore how the UK’s allies and partners are mitigating these risks, the lessons that the UK could draw, and the ways in which the UK and its allies might strengthen co-operation to address the economic security challenges posed by China.

The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into community mental health services. The inquiry will examine what good looks like from the perspective of service users and their families/carers. The Committee would like the inquiry to shine a light on case studies of innovative practice and high-quality care across the country, and to undertake meaningful and impactful engagement with people accessing these services. 

The inquiry will consider how service users’ wider health and social needs can be addressed, including in employment and housing, and to understand what policy interventions are required to improve how these needs are met. As part of this inquiry, the Committee also wants to assess to what extent the Community Mental Health Framework is driving improvements in the delivery of more integrated, person-centred care. 

This inquiry is focussing on adults with severe mental health needs in particular, which includes but is not limited to people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and severe depression. The Committee recognises the scale of the challenge in children and young people’s mental health, and plans to do further work in this area in due course, building on its predecessor Committee’s 2021 inquiry. 

In line with the general practice of select committees, the Health and Social Care Committee is not able to take up individual cases or complaints. If you would like political support or advice you may wish to contact your local Member of Parliament.

Transport infrastructure plays an important role among island communities, supporting local economies and ensuring access to essential services. In Scotland, geographic barriers and limited transport options can restrict mobility and contribute to depopulation. This inquiry will examine the strategic case for permanent transport links—such as tunnels and bridges—between Scotland’s islands and assess whether there is a role for the UK Government in supporting such projects.

Read the call for evidence for more details about the inquiry.

Demand for critical minerals has grown rapidly in recent years. New technologies, including turbines and data centres, require more minerals than the older systems they replace. At the same time, global trade in these materials has become more fractured and competitive.

The Government has identified critical minerals as one of the UK’s “foundational sectors”, which support the resilience of the IS‑8 sectors. It has published a new critical minerals strategy, the third in four years. The strategy sets two core objectives: increase domestic production, and build resilient UK and global supply networks. For the first time, the Government has set targets for domestic production, recycling, and diversification of supply chains.

The Business and Trade Sub‑Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls is launching an inquiry to consider how domestic production and trade can support a secure supply of critical minerals for UK industry, and assess the likely impact of the proposals set out in the Government’s strategy.

The inquiry will examine the current and emerging threats in the region. It will ask what the UK’s defence and security interests are, and whether we have the correct strategies, capabilities and alliances to counter these threats, particularly from Russia.  

Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission for this Government’s term in office. In this inquiry, the committee will examine plans to deliver economic growth in Northern Ireland, including the recent UK Industrial Strategy, with a particular reference to emerging sectors or ‘industries of the future’. Read our call for evidence here  for more detail about the inquiry and how to contribute your views.

With the disability employment gap persistently at nearly 30%, the Government has announced it will spend an additional £2.2 billion on employment support over the next four years.

The Committee will explore the reasons behind the disability employment gap, scrutinise Government programmes to support disabled people into work and make recommendations for future support. 

The Committee is holding an inquiry into food and weight management, including treatments for obesity.

In 2022, 64% of adults in England were either overweight or living with obesity. In its 10-year health plan, the Government pledged to “launch a moonshot to end the obesity epidemic”. 

The Committee’s inquiry will investigate what public health interventions have been the most effective at reducing obesity and the consumption of less healthy foods, examining why existing policies relating to food and diet have seemingly not succeeded in reducing rates of obesity. 

The inquiry will also consider treatments offered to those who are living with obesity or excess weight, including the challenges and opportunities weight loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro present to the NHS and to individuals. It will consider how injections compare to other treatments and programmes, including cost-effectiveness.

The Committee invites written evidence from Thursday 17 July until 11.59pm on Thursday 28 August. The Committee is also keen to hear directly from individuals with lived experience of living with obesity and excess weight, encouraging anybody with experiences of managing their weight and/or accessing treatments to share their perspectives in its online survey.

The Work and Pension Committee is conducting an inquiry into jobcentres, the first in a series of inquiries in response to the Government’s Get Britain Working White Paper.

The Government has set itself a target of achieving 80% employment and is planning “the biggest reforms to employment support for a generation.” As part of these reforms, it plans to reform jobcentres, which it says are too focused on monitoring benefit compliance. The Government plans to create a new jobs and careers service, with a stronger focus on building skills and careers.

In this inquiry, the Committee will scrutinise: the purpose of Jobcentre Plus, experiences of jobcentre services, how well jobcentres work with others and plans for a new jobs and careers service.

Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures. This inquiry will explore the safety and regulation of both surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, including how risks are communicated and managed.  

The Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the role of physical activity in improving the health and wellbeing of our older population.  

Progress on improving healthy life expectancy in England has stalled and people are spending longer living with ill health in their older years. Physical activity can help prevent ill health, but activity levels in England are decreasing and are lowest among older people. A small increase in activity by an older person can be substantially beneficial in improving health and reducing or delaying the development of multiple long-term health conditions.  

This inquiry will focus on the ways that physical activity can prevent and reduce ill health, pushing it further into older age. The Committee will also explore how increasing physical activity levels could have an impact on reducing the gap in healthy life expectancy between older people in the most and least deprived regions.  

Call for evidence closed at 23:59pm on Thursday 7 August 2025. 

Background

In recent years there has been growth in the development and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. These can be used for a wide variety of applications.

There is no universally agreed definition of AI or AI technologies. The then Government’s 2023 policy paper on “A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation” defined Artificial Intelligence (AI), AI systems or AI technologies as “products and services that are ‘adaptable’ and ‘autonomous’.” Adaptability refers to AI systems, after being trained, developing the ability to perform new ways of finding patterns and connections in data that are not directly envisioned by their human programmers. Autonomy refers to AI systems making decisions without the intent or ongoing control of a human.

Many argue that AI technologies can offer great benefits to individuals and society – for example, assisting in decision-making and improving productivity. Others are concerned about risks such as:

• Perpetuation of societal biases and discrimination (for example, through the use of biased training data for AI models)
• Potential conflict with an individual’s right to privacy and freedom of expression (for example, where AI might be used in surveillance)
• Challenges for individuals in exercising their right to an effective remedy where their rights have been violated (for example, where it might be difficult to know how a model produced a particular output, and who is liable for that output).

On 5 September 2024, the UK signed the Council of Europe Framework Convention on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law. It is the first legally binding treaty in this area and "aims to ensure that activities within the lifecycle of artificial intelligence systems are fully consistent with human rights, democracy and the rule of law, while being conducive to technological progress and innovation."

The UK also adheres to the OECD’s AI Principles, which were the “first intergovernmental standard on AI”. The five principles are:

1. Inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-being;
2. Human rights and democratic values, including fairness and privacy;
3. Transparency and explainability;
4. Robustness, security and safety; and
5. Accountability.

The UK Government has signalled its intention to “bring forward legislation which allows us to safely realise the enormous benefits and opportunities of the most powerful AI systems for years to come.” (PQ 41098 on Artificial Intelligence: Regulation, 31 March 2025)

Against this backdrop, the Joint Committee on Human Rights will explore what regulation might be required in order to safeguard human rights when AI technologies are being developed and used, and any implications this might have for future legislation.  

The inquiry will not be considering topics such as social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms,[3] or how malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy.[4] While these are important topics, they are outside the scope of this inquiry.

[1] POSTbrief 57, Artificial intelligence: An explainer, 14 December 2023    

[2] UK Parliament, Artificial Intelligence (AI) glossary, January 2024

[3] The subject of a report by the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee: Social media, misinformation and harmful algorithms

[4] The subject of a current inquiry by the Foreign Affairs Committee: Disinformation diplomacy: How malign actors are seeking to undermine democracy

Out of nearly 12 million children living in England, over 400,000 are in the social care system at any one time.[1] Out of these, nearly 84,000 children in England are” in care” (i.e. being looked after by local authorities).[2] Across the UK, it is estimated that 107,000 children are in care.[3]  

In 2023, the then Government proposed a plan to reform children’s social care, in its “Stable Homes, Built on Love” strategy. It proposed a series of “missions” to improve the quality of the support provided to children and their families, such as providing better training to social workers, and listening more to children and young people. In 2024, the current Government announced the “biggest overhaul in a generation to children’s social care”, with the stated aim to provide a “wide range of new reform measures… to deliver better outcomes and a more secure life for children across the country”.[4]

Against this background, this inquiry will consider the extent to which the human rights of children in England are protected in the social care system. This inquiry will have a particular focus on children in care (“looked after children”), but wider aspects of the children’s social care system will be relevant, for example in regard to the availability of additional support to families with disabled children or to the efficacy of early intervention measures.

[1] This figure includes children in care as well as children assessed as needing help and protection as a result of risks to their development or health. Ofsted, Main findings: children’s social care in England 2024.

[2] Ofsted, Main findings: children’s social care in England 2024. A child is in care, or is a “looked after child” if they are in local authority care by reason of a care order or are being provided with accommodation under section 20 of the 1989 Act for more than 24 hours with the agreement of the parents, or of the child if the child is aged 16 or over (section 22(1) and (2) of the 1989 Act).

[3] Become, Why the care system has to change