Evidence to Parliamentary Inquiries

This list includes evidence by individual SPG members if given on behalf of the Group or drawing on the Group’s work. Many SPG members have also given evidence in a personal capacity, but this is not listed.

Entries are in date order, the latest publications first.

  • All evidence since 1997 is published on the Parliamentary website, and both the reports and evidence listed here are linked to their respective texts on that site.
  • The earlier evidence is reproduced on this site. Parliamentary copyright material from House of Commons publications is reproduced with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office on behalf of Parliament. This copyright notice is repeated in the relevant documents.

Except where otherwise stated, all select committees were of the House of Commons


Procedure Committee: Fifth Report, Session 2016-17, HC 190
Authorising Government expenditure: steps to more effective scrutiny
Oral and written (and supplementary written) evidence by John McEldowney and Sir Stephen Laws


Procedure Committee: First Report, Session 2012-13, HC 330
Sitting Hours and the Parliamentary Calendar
Written evidence: The Role of the Member of Parliament
Michael Rush and Philip Giddings


Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons, 1st Report, Session 2006-07, HC 337
Revitalising the Chamber: the role of the back bench Member
Written evidence by Michael Rush and Philip Giddings based on the work of the New Members Study Group (see also oral evidence)


Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons, 1st Report, Session 2005-06, HC 1097
The Legislative Process
Written Evidence item 12 (by David Miers)


Deregulation Committee, 1st Special Report, Session 1998-99, HC 324
The Future of the Deregulation Procedure
Oral evidence (30 March 1999) and Annex to Report (both by David Miers, arising out of work of Delegated Legislation Study Group)


Select Committee on Procedure, 4th Report, Session 1998-99, HC 185
Procedural consequences of devolution
Evidence of 10 February (pp 15-20 written and 20-31 oral) and Appendix 28 (pp 138-41)


Select Committee on Standards and Privileges, 13th Report, Session 1997-98, HC 633
Appeal procedures: A consultative document
Appendix 12


Select Committee on Procedure, 4th Report, Session 1995-96, HC 152
Delegated legislation
Appendix 7 (pp 67-72)


Treasury and Civil Service Committee, 5th Report, Session 1992-93, HC 583
The Government’s proposals for budgetary reform
Appendix 10 (pp 43-8)


House of Lords Select Committee on the Committee Work of the House, Report, Session 1991-92, HL 35-II
pp 250-2 (written: Michael Rush)


Select Committee on Procedure, 2nd Report, Session 1989-90, HC 19-II
The Working of the Select Committee System
pp 160-6 (written)pp 167-68 (oral) (by Michael Rush, drawing on work for SPG)
pp 202-6 (written: Gavin Drewry)pp 231-8 (oral) (by Gavin Drewry and Philip Giddings with Peter Hennessy)


Select Committee on Procedure, 4th Report, Session 1988-89, HC 622-II
The Scrutiny of European Legislation
Appendix 15 (p 141) (by Gavin Drewry after consultations with SPG)


Select Committee on Members’ Interests, Minutes of Evidence, Session 1989-90, HC 283
(evidence actually given on 14 June 1988)
Parliamentary Lobbying
pp 26-30 (written)pp 30-43 (oral) (by Michael Rush, Colin Seymour-Ure, Philip Norton and Michael Shaw appearing in individual capacities but based on SPG research)
also Third Report, Session 1990-91, HC 586
Parliamentary Lobbying
Appendix 1 (p 1) (Michael Rush)


Select Committee on Procedure, 2nd Report, Session 1986-87, HC 350
The use of time on the floor of the House
Appendix 20 (pp 29-32)


Select Committee on Procedure, 2nd Report, Session 1984-85, HC 49-II
Public Bill Procedure
pp 72-78 (written)pp 79-93 (oral: Dr Philip Norton and Mr Nevil Johnson)


Select Committee on Procedure (Finance), Report, Session 1982-83, HC 24-III
Appendix 10 (pp 10-17) (by Ann Robinson “after consultation with members of the Study of Parliament Group”)


Select Committee on Procedure, 1st Report, Session 1977-78, HC 588-III
Appendix 1, pp 1-20


Select Committee on House of Commons (Services), 8th Report, Session 1976-77, HC 509
Services for the Public
Appendices 1 and 2, pp 88-94


Select Committee on Assistance to Private Members, Report, Session 1974-75, HC 375
Appendix 21, pp 112-118


Select Committee on Procedure, 2nd Report, Session 1970-71, HC 538
The Process of Legislation
Appendix 6, pp 304-9
(by Prof A. H. Hanson, Mr. D. Coombes and Mr. S. A. Walkland on behalf of the Academic Members of the Study of Parliament Group)


Select Committee on Procedure, 2nd Special Report, Session 1969-70, HC 302
Parliamentary Scrutiny of Taxation
Appendix 9, pp 181-8


Select Committee on Parliamentary Privilege, Report, Session 1967-68, HC 34
Appendix V, pp 187-95


Select Committee on Procedure, 6th Report, Session 1966-67, HC 539
Public Bill Procedure etc.
Appendices 3 and 4: pp 88-99


Select Committee on Procedure, 1st Report, Session 1966-67, HC 153
The times of sittings of the House
pp 48-50 (written: Sir Edward Fellowes)50-65 (oral: Sir Edward Fellowes and Prof Bernard Crick)


Select Committee on Procedure, Report, Session 1965-66, HC 122
Financial Procedure
pp 74-5 (written, extracts) (This consists of paragraphs 11 and 20 of the written evidence of 1965.)


Select Committee on Procedure, 4th Report, Session 1964-65, HC 303
pp 51-68 (oral: Profs P. A. Bromhead, A. H. Hanson and H. Wiseman)Appendix 2, pp 131-142 (written)