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UK Parliament Explored: the Work and Role of Select Committees

Explore the work and role of select committees in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

2,370 enrolled on this course

Witness before Select Committee
  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours

Discover the importance of select committees for the UK Parliament

On this course you will explore a vital element of UK Parliament: select committees - groups of people who monitor the work of government and investigate specific subjects in depth.

You’ll explore how select committees have evolved and how members are selected today. By examining case studies, you will gain an understanding of the select committee process, learn how written evidence is gathered and consider what it’s like to be a witness. You will also discuss the influence select committees can have on policy making and reflect on factors that may affect the impact of their recommendations.

What topics will you cover?

  • An overview of the work and role of select committees’ work in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
  • The focus of select committee inquiries in each House.
  • Cross-party membership of select committees, including the process for selecting chairs and members.
  • How select committees have evolved and changed over time.
  • How select committee inquiries work, the different steps in the process.
  • A greater understanding of the potential impact of select committee reports and recommendations.
  • How members of the public can engage with select committees.

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the work and role of select committees in the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
  • Identify the focus of different committees in each House.
  • Develop your understanding of the cross-party membership of select committees, including the process for selecting chairs and members.
  • Reflect how select committees have evolved and changed over time.
  • Explore how a select committee inquiry works including the different steps in the process.
  • Develop a greater understanding of the potential impacts of select committees including reports and recommendations.
  • Explore how members of the public can engage with select committees.

Who is the course for?

This course is open to anyone with an interest in the UK Parliament. Academics, researchers, charities and specialist groups may also find it useful to gain a greater understanding of how they can contribute to inquiries and get involved with the work of Parliament.

Who will you learn with?

I am a Senior Producer in Education and Engagement at UK Parliament.

Our work seeks to support understanding of and engagement with the work of the UK Parliament.

www.parliament.uk

Who developed the course?

UK Parliament

The UK Parliament represents the people of the United Kingdom and makes decisions that affect us all.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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