House of Commons Business and Trade Committee

House of Commons Business and Trade Committee
Name	Business and Trade Committee
Legislature	Parliament of the United Kingdom
House	House of Commons of the United Kingdom
Established	2023
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Chamber	House of Commons of the United Kingdom

House of Commons Business and Trade Committee The Business and Trade Committee is a select committee in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom tasked with scrutinising ministers and policy in areas previously overseen by committees such as the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and the International Trade Select Committee, linking oversight to statutes like the Trade Act 2021 and institutions such as the Competition and Markets Authority, the Department for Business and Trade, and the Board of Trade.

Overview and remit

The committee examines policy, expenditure, administration and legislation relating to the Department for Business and Trade, including matters connected to manufacturing in the United Kingdom, consumer protection in the United Kingdom, intellectual property rights in the United Kingdom, and international trade agreements, while engaging with public bodies such as the British Business Bank, the Office for Product Safety and Standards, and the Financial Conduct Authority; it also conducts oversight comparable to the historical functions of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry and interfaces with statutory instruments under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 and frameworks like the WTO Agreement.

History and establishment

Formed in 2023 following the reorganisation of select committees in the wake of changes proposed by the House of Commons Commission and debates in the Commons Chamber, the committee succeeded responsibilities split from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and the International Trade Select Committee after reviews influenced by events such as the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum and negotiations resembling the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; its creation was shaped by procedures from the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and reforms debated in the House of Commons Commission report.

Membership and leadership

Membership comprises Members of Parliament elected by groups and appointed through party balances determined by the House of Commons, with chairs nominated following contest rules similar to those used for the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the Treasury Select Committee; prominent chairs and members often include representatives who have served on panels like the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, the International Trade Select Committee, and shadow teams from parties including the Conservative Party (UK), the Labour Party (UK), the Liberal Democrats (UK), and the Scottish National Party. Leadership elections follow standing orders of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and are overseen by officials associated with the Clerk of the House of Commons and the House of Commons Commission.

Functions and activities

The committee carries out inquiries, takes oral and written evidence from witnesses such as chief executives from firms like Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, representatives of trade unions such as the Trades Union Congress, and regulators including the Competition and Markets Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority; it publishes reports recommending actions akin to interventions seen in cases involving British Steel, proposals linked to the Industrial Strategy White Paper, and analyses comparable to studies by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research. The committee also scrutinises secondary legislation related to trading arrangements influenced by accords such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and examines corporate governance issues in companies listed on the London Stock Exchange and overseen by the Financial Reporting Council.

Notable inquiries and reports

Notable inquiries have addressed supply chain resilience in sectors affected by disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, competition concerns paralleling investigations into firms such as Google LLC, Amazon (company), and Facebook, Inc., and trade policy responses reminiscent of debates following the United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union; reports have proposed recommendations invoking legislative change referenced against acts like the Trade Act 2021, criticised regulatory failures highlighted in cases resembling the collapse of Carillion, and informed parliamentary debates in the Commons Chamber and on statutory instruments debated under the Public Bill Committee process.

Relationships with government and other committees

The committee holds ministers from the Department for Business and Trade to account through questioning akin to sessions held with secretaries of state in the Commons Chamber and coordinates with other select committees such as the Treasury Select Committee, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, the International Trade Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, and cross‑house inquiries involving the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee; it also engages with external bodies like the Competition and Markets Authority, the British Chambers of Commerce, and international counterparts such as committees in the United States Congress and the European Parliament.

Category:Select Committees of the British House of Commons