Foreign Affairs Select Committee
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee is one of many select committees of the British House of Commons, which scrutinises the work of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Inquiries
The Foreign Affairs Committee carries out many inquiries, and publishes a variety of reports, including an annual Human Rights Report. During its inquiry into the government's decision to invade Iraq, Dr. David Kelly famously gave evidence to the committee on 15 July 2003, two days before his death.
In 2015 through 2016 the committee conducted an extensive and highly critical inquiry into the British involvement in the Libyan Civil War. It concluded that the early threat to civilians had been overstated and that the significant Islamist element in the rebel forces had not been recognised, due to an intelligence failure. By summer 2011 the initial limited intervention to protect Libyan civilians had become a policy of regime change. However that new policy did not include proper support and for a new government, leading to a political and economic collapse in Libya and the growth of ISIL in North Africa. The report concluded that the former Prime Minister David Cameron was ultimately responsible for this British policy failure.[1][2][3]
Membership
As of May 2020, the Committee's current members are as follows:[4][5][6]
Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
| Chair | Party | Constituency | First elected | Method | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Tom Tugendhat | Conservative | Tonbridge and Malling | 12 July 2017 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Crispin Blunt | Conservative | Reigate | 18 June 2015 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Sir Richard Ottaway | Conservative | Croydon South | 17 May 2010 | Elected by the House of Commons |
| style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Mike Gapes | Labour | Ilford South | 19 July 2005 | Elected by the Select Committee |
| style="background-color: Template:Labour Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Donald Anderson | Labour | Swansea East | 16 July 1997 | Elected by the Select Committee |
| style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | David Howell | Conservative | Guildford | 1 January 1987 | Elected by the Select Committee |
| style="background-color: Template:Conservative Party (UK)/meta/color" | | Anthony Kershaw | Conservative | Stroud | 1979 | Elected by the Select Committee |
See also
References
- ^ "MPs attack Cameron over Libya 'collapse'". BBC News. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ Patrick Wintour (14 September 2016). "MPs deliver damning verdict on Cameron's Libya intervention". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ Libya: Examination of intervention and collapse and the UK's future policy options (PDF). Foreign Affairs Committee (House of Commons) (Report). UK Parliament. 6 September 2016. HC 119. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Tom Tugendhat MP elected Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee". Foreign Affairs Select Committee. London. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- ^ "Future Business as of Thursday 27 February 2020". publications.parliament.uk. UK parliament. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
That Chris Bryant, Chris Elmore, Alicia Kearns, Stewart Malcolm McDonald, Ian Murray, Andrew Rosindell, Bob Seely, Henry Smith, Royston Smith and Graham Stringer be members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
- ^ "Votes and Proceedings Monday 11 May 2020". parliament.uk. UK House of Commons. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
That Wayne David and Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi be discharged from the Defence Committee and Mr Kevan Jones and Derek Twigg be added