Select Committee on Exiting the European Union

Select Committee on Exiting the European Union
Name	Select Committee on Exiting the European Union
Legislature	Parliament of the United Kingdom
Formed	2016
Dissolved	2019
Chamber	House of Commons
Jurisdiction	Brexit
Chair	Hilary Benn
Members	21

Select Committee on Exiting the European Union was a departmental select committee of the House of Commons established after the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum to examine the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. The committee conducted inquiries into legal, constitutional, economic and trade aspects of Brexit and produced influential reports cited in debates at Prime Minister's Questions, statements by Theresa May, exchanges with Jerome Powell (in context of markets), and discussions in the House of Lords and the European Parliament.

Background and establishment

The committee was created in the wake of the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum that followed campaigns by groups such as Vote Leave, Leave.EU and Britain Stronger in Europe. Its establishment reflected tensions among political actors including David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Jeremy Corbyn over the invocation of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union. The House of Commons agreed terms of reference paralleling inquiries by the European Scrutiny Committee and engaging with institutions such as the Department for Exiting the European Union and the European Commission. The committee commenced after the cabinet formation of Theresa May and the appointment of David Davis as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Membership and leadership

Chaired by Hilary Benn, the committee included members from parties represented in the House of Commons such as the Conservative Party (UK), the Labour Party (UK), the Scottish National Party, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Liberal Democrats (UK), and Plaid Cymru. Prominent members and witnesses included MPs who appeared alongside figures like Keir Starmer, Dominic Raab, Owen Smith, Nicky Morgan, Yvette Cooper, and Anna Soubry. The committee worked with clerks drawn from the House of Commons Service and coordinated with international interlocutors including delegations from the European Parliament, officials from the European Commission, and legal advisers such as those associated with the Attorney General for England and Wales.

Mandate and procedures

The committee’s remit covered the process of withdrawal under Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, negotiations with the European Union institutions including the European Council and the Council of the European Union, and the implications for domestic instruments such as the European Communities Act 1972. Procedures included public evidence sessions, requests for documents to the Department for Exiting the European Union, minority reports from dissenting members, and engagement with devolved administrations including the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive. The committee used powers akin to those of select committees under the standing orders of the House of Commons to summon witnesses, publish memoranda from organisations such as the Confederation of British Industry and the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and liaise with legal bodies like the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the European Court of Justice through expert testimony.

Major inquiries and reports

The committee launched multiple inquiries into subjects such as the proposed Withdrawal Agreement (Withdrawal Agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union), customs arrangements and the Northern Ireland Protocol, citizens’ rights, transition arrangements, trade policy, and the devolution settlement. Reports addressed the legality of prerogative powers, the role of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom following the R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union litigation, the impact on sectors represented by the National Farmers' Union, the British Medical Association, and the Royal College of Nursing. Notable publications included assessments of the proposed draft agreements presented by Michel Barnier and analyses referencing economic modelling from the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Bank of England, and the International Monetary Fund.

Impact and political response

The committee’s findings informed debates in the House of Commons and were cited in statements by successive Prime Ministers including Theresa May and Boris Johnson. Its reports were referred to during votes such as the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement and in exchanges involving party leaders Jeremy Corbyn, Nicola Sturgeon, Arlene Foster, and Ed Miliband. The committee’s work influenced media coverage in outlets referencing parliamentary scrutiny such as BBC News, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, and The Times and shaped submissions to courts including proceedings touching on the European Court of Human Rights. Responses ranged from acceptance of recommendations by some ministers to criticism from figures aligned with Vote Leave and supporters of a no-deal exit.

Dissolution and legacy

Following the completion of the United Kingdom’s formal withdrawal processes and the general election that brought a new parliamentary configuration under Boris Johnson and the subsequent changes to departmental structures, the committee ceased activity and was formally dissolved. Its legacy includes a body of published reports and oral evidence that remain cited in scholarship by institutions such as the London School of Economics, the Institute for Government, and university law faculties including University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. The committee’s inquiries continue to inform studies of constitutional practice, legislative scrutiny, and UK relations with the European Union and feature in historical treatments alongside events like the 2019 United Kingdom general election and the ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration.

Category:Committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom