Select committee (parliamentary system)
{{Short description|Committee made of parliamentary members}}
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A select committee in the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy is a committee made up of a small number of parliamentary members appointed to deal with particular areas or issues.
Description
A select committee is a special subcommittee of a legislature or assembly. Select committees exist in the British Parliament, as well as in other parliaments based on the Westminster model, such as those in Australia, Canada, Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand.
They are often investigative in nature, collecting data or evidence for a law or problem, and dissolve after their findings have been reported.
These are very common in government legislatures, and are used to solve special problems, hence their name.{{clarify|date=March 2025}}
By country
=United Kingdom=
{{Main|Select committee (United Kingdom)}}
In the UK, select committees work in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.{{cite web | title=Select Committees | website=UK Parliament | url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/committees/select/ | access-date=11 December 2023}}
=Australia=
{{Further|Australian Senate committees#Select committees|Australian House of Representatives committees#Select committees}}
There are select committees appointed by both the Australian Senate and the Australian House of Representatives.
=India=
Under Rule 125 of the Rajya Sabha Rules and Procedures, any member may move as an amendment that a bill be referred to a select committee and, if the motion is carried, the bill shall be referred to such a committee. The House decides the members of such committee.{{cite web | title=Explained: How a select committee works | website=The Indian Express | date=11 March 2015 | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-how-a-select-committee-works/ | access-date=11 December 2023}}
=Ireland=
{{main|Committees of the Oireachtas}}
=Malaysia=
{{main|Parliamentary Committees of Malaysia}}
In Malaysia, there are special committees of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Reps){{cite web | title=Special Select Committee | website=Official Portal of The Parliament of Malaysia | url=https://www.parlimen.gov.my/senarai-jkdr.html?uweb=dr&lang=en | access-date=11 December 2023}} and the Dewan Negara (Senate).{{cite web | title=Jawatankuasa Pilihan Khas | website=Portal Rasmi Parlimen Malaysia | url=https://www.parlimen.gov.my/jkpk-dn.html?uweb=dn& | language=ms | access-date=11 December 2023}}
=New Zealand=
{{Main|New Zealand House of Representatives committees}}
=South Africa=
{{main|List of committees of the Parliament of South Africa#Select committees}}
In South Africa, select committees appointed by the National Council of Provinces (the upper house) follow the work of the various national departments as well as dealing with Bills.{{cite web | title=Role of Parliamentary Committees | website=Parliament of South Africa | url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/role-of-parliamentary-committee | access-date=11 December 2023}}{{cite web | title=Committees | website=Parliament of South Africa | url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/committees | access-date=11 December 2023}}
=Sri Lanka=
Parliament will appoint ad-hoc committees to inquire into and report to the House on a particular matter.{{cite web |title=Select Committees |url=https://www.parliament.lk/en/component/committees/categories?id=4&Itemid=533 |website=parliament.lk |publisher=Parliament of Sri Lanka |access-date=11 March 2022}}