Inquiring about Brexit. How select committees can provide effective scrutiny in 2017-19

The Institute for Government is an independent charity in the United Kingdom working to increase government effectiveness.

It works with all the main political parties at Westminster and with senior civil servants in Whitehall. It provides evidence based advice that draws on best practice from around the world.

The Institute for Government is a registered charity in England and Wales (Registered Charity No.1123926).

The charitable objectives of the Institute are:

+ The advancement of education in the art and science of government in the UK for the benefit of the public and on a non-party political basis;
+ The promotion of efficient public administration of government and public service in the UK by providing programmes of education, training, research and study for the public benefit and on a non-party political basis.
This IfG Insight paper considered how Select Committees can undertake effective scrutiny of Brexit in the United Kingdom. After looking back at committee activity before the General Election in June 2017 – which cut off much useful work mid-stream ­– the authors examined how parliamentary committees should contribute to hold the Government to account for the Brexit process.

The paper follows earlier reports Scrutinising Brexit and Legislating for Brexit.

ESO: Background information: Leaving the European Union: Machinery of Government Changes http://www.europeansources.info/record/leaving-the-european-union-machinery-of-government-changes/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

Blog: LSE Brexit, 26.10.16: Scrutinising Brexit is a mammoth task. Here’s some advice for Hilary Benn and Angus MacNeil http://www.europeansources.info/record/scrutinising-brexit-is-a-mammoth-task-heres-some-advice-for-hilary-benn-and-angus-macneil/

IfG: Briefing Paper, October 2016: Scrutinising Brexit. Parliament faces its biggest challenge https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/scrutinising-brexit

IfG: IfG Analysis, March 2017: Legislating Brexit. The Great Repeal Bill and the wider legislative challenge https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/legislating-brexit

University of Leicester / ESRC: Parties, Parliament and Brexit https://parlbrexit.co.uk/

UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Committees: European Scrutiny Committee, November 2017: Brexit and the European Scrutiny System in the House of Commons: Government Response to the Committee’s Thirty-Eighth Report of Session 2016–17 https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmeuleg/588/588.pdf

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