Select Committee Chairs announced

Select Committee Chairs were announced today, including Stephen Metcalfe for the S&T Committee.

Science and technology select committee (Conservative)

The science and technology select committee members have a role scrutinising government activity that relates to science and technology across all departments. Following Nicola Blackwood’s promotion to become a Health Minister, a new chair was elected this afternoon.

The Election was close, going to four rounds, before Stephen Metcalfe was elected as the new Chair. Stephen has long been a familiar face to the science community and a firm supporter of science and engineering within the House. It is great, once again, to see a hotly contested election for the position of S&T committee chair and many congratulations to Stephen.

Stephen Metcalfe

• Member for South Basildon and East Thurrock (May 2010-Mar 2015, May 2015-present, contested for Ilford South May 2005)
• S&T committee (Commons): July 2010- Mar 2015
• Political interests: Economy, small business, foreign policy, science and technology, education
• Currently Chair of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee and also ran for S&T Chair in 2015 demonstrating his commitment to this role.

Details of the other candidates can be found here.

Exiting the European Union Committee (Labour)

Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) has been elected as the new Chair of this newly created Committee that will scrutinise the work of the new Department for Exiting the EU. With Labour pressing the Government to commit to greater Parliamentary scrutiny of the Brexit process, the Chair of the Exiting the European Union Committee will be an extremely important role in Parliament. We look forward to working with Hilary and his Committee as we seek to ensure a good outcome for science in the negotiations.

Details of the other candidates can be found here.

International Trade Committee (SNP)

The International Trade Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration and policy of the Department for International Trade and its associated public bodies. 

Rules state if only one candidate come forward, he or she will be elected unopposed. Former SNP Chair of the Energy and Climate Change Committee Angus MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) ran uncontested and will be the new Chair.

Home Affairs Committee (Labour)

The House of Commons appoints the Committee with the task of examining the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Home Office and its associated public bodies. Immigration will continue to be an area of policy focus for CaSE and we look forward to working with Yvette Cooper (Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford) who was elected as Chair after three rounds of votes for another hotly constested position. Along with the Hilary Benn, Yvette Cooper and her committee will have a significant task ahead of them due to the political and public attention on immigration. 

When running for leader of the Labour Party, there were some strong science commitments in her campaign, including wanting to see investment in R&D rise to 3% of R&D. Hopefully this will be reflected in some of her prioirites as Chair.

Details of the other candidates can be found here.