House of Commons Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills

House of Commons Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills
Name	House of Commons Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills
Type	Select committee
Formed	2009
Dissolved	2016
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom Parliament
Parent organisation	House of Commons

House of Commons Select Committee on Business, Innovation and Skills was a parliamentary body in the United Kingdom House of Commons scrutinising the work of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, engaging with stakeholders such as Confederation of British Industry, Trades Union Congress, Institute of Directors, British Chambers of Commerce and representatives from sectors including Aerospace industry, Automotive industry, Pharmaceutical industry, Financial Services Authority and Creative Industries Federation. The committee worked alongside other select committees like the Treasury Select Committee, the Public Accounts Committee, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee and liaised with devolved institutions including the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd Cymru, and the Northern Ireland Assembly.

History and Establishment

The committee was established in 2009 following machinery set out by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and changes to ministerial structures that created the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills from predecessors including the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, reflecting reforms initiated during the premierships of Gordon Brown and influenced by reports such as the Cameron–Clegg coalition agreement. Its creation responded to inquiries into industrial strategy raised by members like Vince Cable, Michael Fallon, Chris Grayling, Sir George Young and stakeholders including Institute for Fiscal Studies, Adam Smith Institute, Resolution Foundation and The Work Foundation.

Remit and Responsibilities

The committee's remit covered oversight of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, including examination of legislation, scrutiny of departmental expenditure, and investigation into policy areas affecting entities such as the Competition and Markets Authority, UK Intellectual Property Office, Companies House, the British Business Bank, and regulators linked to Competition Law and Consumer Rights Act 2015. It held oral evidence sessions with figures including Chief Executive Officers from Rolls-Royce Holdings, AstraZeneca, HSBC, BT Group, and academic witnesses from institutions like University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, London School of Economics, Imperial College London and think tanks including the Institute for Government and the Royal Society.

Membership and Leadership

Membership comprised Members of Parliament drawn from parties such as the Conservative Party (UK), the Labour Party (UK), the Liberal Democrats (UK), the Scottish National Party, the Democratic Unionist Party and the Plaid Cymru. Chairs included MPs aligned with figures such as Sir Vince Cable in policy debates and committee vice-chairs and members who collaborated with ministers like Greg Clark, Anna Soubry, Kwasi Kwarteng and civil servants from the Cabinet Office and the Treasury. The committee also summoned external witnesses including chief executives from London Stock Exchange Group, National Grid plc, Unilever, Royal Dutch Shell and academic chairs from University College London and King's College London.

Inquiries and Reports

The committee conducted high-profile inquiries into subjects involving Corporate governance in the United Kingdom, Industrial strategy, Green investment, Manufacturing decline, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), Apprenticeships, Higher education reform, Consumer protection, and Market competition. Reports were published addressing issues tied to corporations such as Barclays, RBS Group, Tesco, BT Group and sectors including Renewable energy, Automotive manufacturing, Biotechnology and Aerospace. It produced recommendations that referenced legislation such as the Companies Act 2006, the Enterprise Act 2002 and the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and engaged with regulators including the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority.

Influence and Impact

The committee influenced policy debates on topics including industrial strategy policy, corporate governance reforms following scandals involving LIBOR scandal and entities like Barclays plc, as well as skills policy tied to Apprenticeship Levy discussions and higher education funding reviews referencing Research Excellence Framework. Its hearings and reports informed ministerial statements by figures such as David Cameron, Theresa May, George Osborne, Nicky Morgan and shaped legislative scrutiny in the House of Commons chamber and committee stages in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The committee's work contributed to inquiries that prompted regulatory changes at the Financial Services Authority and the establishment of successor oversight mechanisms involving the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee.

Abolition and Successor Arrangements

Following machinery of government changes announced by David Cameron and implemented under the premiership of Theresa May, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was merged with responsibilities from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to form the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in 2016, leading to the committee's dissolution and successor arrangements under the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. Transitional arrangements involved coordination with committees such as the Environmental Audit Committee, the Science and Technology Committee, the Transport Select Committee and the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee to ensure continuity of oversight for sectors including Energy policy, Research councils and Creative industries.

Category:Select Committees of the House of Commons