Select Committee Inquiries

Select Committees are composed of either MPs or Members of the House of Lords, and have the power to launch inquiries into any issue or Government actions. Evidence is received by the inquiry and the Committee publish a report of their findings.



Inquiry Opened Select Committee Status
12 Jun 2025 Harnessing the potential of new digital forms of identification View sample
Home Affairs Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
21 Aug 2025

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.

17 Jul 2025 The UK’s development partnership with Nigeria View sample
International Development Committee (Select)

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25 Aug 2025

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.

Join the conversation on X using @CommonsIDC

3 Jun 2025 Propriety, ethics and the wider standards landscape in the UK View sample
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
26 Aug 2025

The Government has a manifesto commitment to “restore confidence in government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards".

Trust in government and the political system more widely is essential to the proper functioning and prosperity of a democratic state. Concerns with ethical standards are not new, however controversy surrounding the propriety of conduct of those in public life was a particularly prominent part of political life during the last parliament. This has raised questions as to whether the current system of ethical standards regulation is sufficient or even fit for purpose.

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

17 Jul 2025 Food and Weight Management View sample
Health and Social Care Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
28 Aug 2025

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.

17 Jul 2025 Affordability of Home Ownership View sample
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
29 Aug 2025

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.

6 Jun 2025 UK trade with the US, India and EU View sample
Business and Trade Committee (Select)

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31 Aug 2025

The Business and Trade Committee is launching an inquiry into the UK’s trade deals with three of its most important partners: the United States, India, and the European Union.

As part of this work, the Committee will scrutinise the detail and implementation of three recent developments: the India Free Trade Agreement; the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal; and the outcomes agreed following the recent UK-EU Summit.

The Committee is interested in finding out how these agreements and frameworks will affect people and businesses across the UK, and the likely economic, social, environmental and other impacts. The Committee is also interested in priorities for the UK’s ongoing negotiations with the US and EU.

17 Jun 2025 Building Safety Regulator View sample
Industry and Regulators Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
31 Aug 2025

No description available

1 Jul 2025 Children's tv and video content View sample
Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
4 Sep 2025

A new inquiry will explore the provision of children’s TV and video content in the UK and what can be done to ensure future generations continue to have access to high-quality British-made programming. The inquiry will examine how to ensure those making original high-quality content can continue and how it can be made easier to find it online. 

It will also explore issues relating to parental control of online content, the potential positive and negative effects of how children watch TV and video content on their health and development, and wider issues relating to the sector’s contribution to the economy and its importance to the UK’s cultural identity. 

 

 

23 Jul 2025 Major events View sample
Culture, Media and Sport Committee (Select)

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4 Sep 2025

Organisers and facilitators of major sporting and cultural events are invited to give evidence to a new inquiry from MPs examining the challenges faced by the industry and how the sector can tap into new opportunities for growth and collaboration.

The Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s major events inquiry is focussing on sporting and cultural events that attract national or international audiences and typically draw attendance of over 10,000 people per day. They include internationally recognised sporting competitions, national celebrations and leading arts and music festivals, which generate significant economic activity, media coverage and cultural impact.

The inquiry will look at examples of best practice across the sector, the role of the UK Government in providing support for events and any lessons that could be learnt from other countries or the devolved nations. The Committee will also consider the impact of recent policies on the sector, including the Employment Rights Bill, the Crime and Policing Bill and the implementation of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.

25 Jun 2025 Human Rights and the Regulation of AI View sample
Human Rights (Joint Committee) (Select)

Submit Evidence
5 Sep 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

16 Jul 2025 Licensing of taxis and private hire vehicles View sample
Transport Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
8 Sep 2025

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.

4 Aug 2025 Financing the real economy View sample
Business and Trade Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
12 Sep 2025

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. 

22 Jul 2025 Skills for transport manufacturing View sample
Transport Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
15 Sep 2025

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.

1 Jul 2025 Growth of private markets in the UK following reforms introduced after 2008 View sample
Financial Services Regulation Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
18 Sep 2025

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.

10 Jul 2025 Economic growth in Northern Ireland: new and emerging sectors View sample
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
19 Sep 2025

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.

 

 

 

 

 

5 Aug 2025 Medicines security View sample
Public Services Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
23 Sep 2025

No description available

16 Jul 2025 Employment support for disabled people View sample
Work and Pensions Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
29 Sep 2025

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. 

29 Jul 2025 Police transcription View sample
Public Services Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
29 Sep 2025

Equal access to justice is a cornerstone of our criminal justice system and it is vital that everyone involved at each stage in any criminal case is presented with a fair and accurate account of evidential proceedings. Transcripts are produced by the police and outsourced companies as a public service to the courts. They provide a written record of a police interview with a suspect or witness or to help in understanding unclear audio material.

This inquiry will focus on how transcripts are produced, the training and guidance to services that produce transcripts, the standards and quality assurance of transcripts, and their use within court

23 Jul 2025 Access to Justice View sample
Justice Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
30 Sep 2025

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.

 

24 Jul 2025 Reproductive health conditions: girls and young women View sample
Women and Equalities Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
30 Sep 2025

The Committee is following up its previous work on women’s reproductive health, with a focus on better meeting the needs of girls and young women. It is assessing progress in diagnoses, treatments and pain management of conditions including endometriosis, adenomyosis and heavy menstrual bleeding.

24 Jul 2025 Joined-up journeys: achieving and measuring transport integration View sample
Transport Committee (Select)

Submit Evidence
16 Oct 2025

The Transport Committee is looking at how Government can mould transport services, networks and options around the journeys that people need and want to make in their daily lives. We want to find out what kinds of changes need to be made to bring this about, including in different parts of the country and for transport users with different needs.

We will consider how the costs and benefits of integrating transport should be measured and understood, and how this information influences investment and policy decisions.

Read the call for evidence.