Committee publication · Correspondence · 14 May 2026

Correspondence with the Procedure Committee relating to virtual participation by Members in Select Committee meetings

Summary

Correspondence between the Procedure Committee and Modernisation Committee on enabling virtual participation by MPs in select committee meetings. The Procedure Committee endorses draft guidelines for virtual participation in two circumstances: business continuity when parliamentary access is restricted, and health/wellbeing accommodations. The committee seeks assurance of timely review mechanisms to ensure the pilot remains fit for purpose.

Key findings

Procedure Committee supports draft guidelines allowing virtual participation for business continuity and individual health/wellbeing accommodations in select committee proceedings.
In-person participation remains the default; virtual participants must use secure locations with hard-wired fast internet connections.
Virtual and in-person participants both count toward quorum, but committees should aim for in-room quorum with chair present in room.
Individual chairs will not arbitrate health/wellbeing accommodation decisions; Members must follow formal process set in guidance.
Procedure Committee requests thorough and timely review of the pilot scheme and offers to participate in future discussions, including guesting at Modernisation Committee meetings.

Tone

Procedural

Topics

parliamentary-procedureselect-committeesstanding-ordersaccessibility

Key actors

Sir Alan Campbell MP, Cat Smith MP, Dame Meg Hillier, Modernisation Committee, Procedure Committee, Liaison Committee

Notable line

“In-person participation remains the default position. • Both in-person and virtual participants will count towards the quorum of the committee …”

Key Quotes

“… the Committee wished for me to reiterate the need for a thorough and timely review of the operation of the pilot at the appropriate juncture, to ensure that they continue remain fit for purpose for the longer term …”
— Cat Smith MP · expressing Procedure Committee's conditions for supporting the pilot scheme

“Members participating virtually must be in a secure location and use a hard-wired, fast internet connection.”
— Sir Alan Campbell MP · outlining technical security requirements for virtual participation

“In-person participation remains the default position. • Both in-person and virtual participants will count towards the quorum of the committee …”
— Sir Alan Campbell MP · setting baseline principles for the virtual participation scheme

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗