Select committees: Election of chairs and members

The House elects the chairs of a number of select committees, under Standing Order No 122B.

On the day after the election of the Speaker, the new Speaker informs the House which parties are entitled to select committee chairs that will be elected by the House and how many. The parties then propose which committees each will chair and put a motion before the House.

When this motion has been agreed, the Speaker confirms the timetable for nominating and electing chairs. Standing orders provide that two weeks should elapse between the allocation and election of chairs but the Speaker can alter that time period.

On 30 July 2024, the allocation of chairs between the parties was confirmed and the Deputy Speaker announced that nominations would close on Monday 9 September. Elections were then held on 11 September.

Election of members of select committees

Following the election of chairs, the remaining members can be nominated. On 4 March 2010, the House endorsed “the principle that parties should elect members of select committees in a secret ballot by whichever transparent and democratic method they choose”. Following elections within parties, the successful candidates are formally proposed to the House by the Committee of Selection.

In 2024, 198 places (out of 202) on departmental select committees were filled on 21 and 28 October and 4 November 2024.

Summary of timetables: 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2024 Event 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 Election of Speaker 18 May 18 May 13 June 17 Dec 9 July Queen’s Speech 25 May 27 May 21 June 19 Dec 17 July Allocation of chairs 26 May* 3 June 4 July 16 Jan 2020 30 July Nominations closed 8 June 10 June 7 July (3pm) 27 Jan
(4pm) 9 Sept
(4pm) Election 9 June 17 Jun 12 July 29 Jan 11 Sept Results announced 10 June 18 June 12 July 29 Jan$ 11 Sept~ Nomination of Members 12-26 July 6-20 July# 11 Sept## 2 Mar^ 21 Oct-4 Nov

* The party affiliation of the Chair of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee was decided on 7 June 2010
# Members of the Standards Committee were nominated on 9 September
## Members of the Standards Committee were nominated on 26 October
$ The Deputy Speaker announced the names of the chairs who were elected unopposed, on 27 January 2020
^ The motion to nominate members of the Scottish Affairs Committee was being debated at the moment of interruption – the debate stood adjourned. Members were nominated to the Scottish Affairs Committee on 4 May 2020
~ The Speaker announced the names of the chairs who were elected unopposed, on 9 September 2024. Because of a recount, the result of one election was not announced until 12 September 2024

Conduct of election campaigns for select committee chairs

The Procedure Committee held an inquiry into Elections within the House of Commons to review the functioning of the rules governing the elections and because of concerns about the conduct of some campaigning in the 2024 elections.

The Procedure Committee recommended that no printed campaign material, other than a candidates booklet (published by the House of Commons Administration) should be permitted. The Procedure Committee also recommended that guidance should be issued on how candidates should conduct themselves during their campaigns. Although the guidance would not be enshrined in standing orders, the committee recommended that the guidance should be endorsed by the House and that this would make the rules in the guidance “morally binding” on candidates.

Acting chairs

The Modernisation Committee has proposed that acting select committee chairs could be appointed to cover periods when a select committee chair takes leave from their role. The chair would have a proxy vote during their period of leave.

An acting chair would be paid while they served in the role.

The Leader of the House of Commons said at Business Questions on 16 July 2026 that he would “put the matter before the House in due course”.