Inquiry · Opened 11 December 2024
Elections within the House of Commons
From: Procedure Committee
What this inquiry is asking
This inquiry examines how the House of Commons elects its Deputy Speakers and select committee chairs—roles chosen by secret ballot since 2010. After 15 years and concerns about campaign conduct during 2024 elections, the Procedure Committee is assessing whether these election systems remain fit for purpose, including nomination processes, voting methods, campaigning rules, and representation of smaller parties.
Status / emerging findings
- Deputy Speaker elections work well: cross-party nomination requirements effectively filter candidates and the elected system has not created partisan friction within the team, though smaller parties remain underrepresented in a more diverse Parliament.
- Select committee chair elections show increased contestation in 2024 (due to high turnover, not systemic change) with improved female representation, but third parties (SNP, Lib Dems) are conducting internal party contests, circumventing the spirit of House-wide voting.
- Campaigning for chair elections lacks formal regulation; Electoral Commission Chief Executive warned that regulation would require a dedicated regulator and cautioned against involving returning officers to preserve impartiality.
- Online platforms (Teams, Zoom) could supplement in-person hustings for chair elections; hustings are underutilised partly due to resource constraints and unclear ownership.
- Government accepted committee recommendations on campaign rules and Backbench Business Committee Standing Order changes (April 2026).
Why it matters
These elections determine who chairs powerful select committees that hold government to account and who manages House proceedings—flawed systems or conduct undermine parliamentary scrutiny and legitimacy.
Tone arc
Started procedurally focused on whether 15-year-old election systems remained functional; became more critical after academic witnesses (October 2025) raised concerns about third-party circumvention of House rules and after electoral administrators (November 2025) highlighted lack of formal regulatory safeguards.
Themes
Key witnesses
Natascha Engel (former Deputy Speaker), Baroness Primarolo (former Deputy Speaker), Nigel Evans (former Deputy Speaker), Baroness Winterton of Doncaster (former Deputy Speaker), Baroness Laing of Elderslie (former Deputy Speaker), Professor Meg Russell (UCL Constitution Unit), Peter Stanyon (Association of Electoral Administrators), Dr Marc Geddes (University of Edinburgh)
Reports & Government Responses
Special Report · 20 April 2026 · HC 1829
6th Special Report - Elections within the House of Commons: Government Response
Report · 11 February 2026 · HC 535
Witness sessions
Oral evidence · 23 April 2025 · HC 535
Session 1 of 4Mr Nigel Evans; Baroness Winterton of Doncaster; Baroness Laing of Elderslie
Oral evidence · 23 April 2025 · HC 535
Session 2 of 4Oral evidence · 19 November 2025 · HC 535
Session 4 of 4Peter Stanyon, Chief Executive, Association of Electoral Administrators
Themes & actors
Topics across publication summaries
Top organisations & named entities
- Cat Smith·2 references
- Procedure Committee·1 reference
- Sir Alan Campbell MP·1 reference
- House of Commons·1 reference
- Backbench Business Committee·1 reference
- House Administration·1 reference
- Speaker of the House of Commons·1 reference
- Natascha Engel·1 reference
- Baroness Primarolo·1 reference
- Nigel Evans·1 reference
Source · parliament.uk inquiry record ↗