The Committee's role
The Health Select Committee is one of the 19 select committees related to government departments. It is independent of government and chooses its own subjects of inquiry. Often these inquiries result in the Committee submitting a written report to the House, although this is not always the case. The Committee takes evidence in the form of written submissions and also oral evidence from witnesses.
The House has given the Committee the power to send for “persons, papers and records”. It therefore has powers to insist on the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers and other material, although these powers are rarely used.
The Committee and the NHS Confederation
The NHS Confederation is regularly asked by the Committee to submit written evidence and also provide witnesses as part of their inquiries. We also meet with individual committee members to discuss health policy and express the views of our members.
