Using the setting of the spectacular Grand Committee Room in the Palace of Westminster, the Select Committee Experience will give students the opportunity to explore the role of select committees in Parliament.
The experience begins with a specially tailored tour of the Palace of Westminster. It focuses on the evolution, structure and function of the select committee system and includes a visit to a select committee room.
Because the Palace is the home of our working Parliament we cannot always show you everything; your visit might include:
- The House of Commons or House of Lords chambers
- A visit to the public gallery to observe the MPs or Lords working
- Westminster Hall, the last remaining part of the original Palace
- Central Lobby at the very heart of the Parliamentary Estate.
Building on the context set by the tour, students will explore their opinions about select committees using primary sources to prepare their arguments for a debate on the motion:
‘Select committees are an effective and efficient way of scrutinising the government’
This session assumes some knowledge about the structure and function of Parliament and students should be prepared to interact with groups of young people from other organisations.
Recommended for: A-level Government and Politics students
Places per session: 60
Dates: Fridays, from spring 2012
Duration: 2 hours
Start times: 09:30, 12:00, 2:30
How to book
For details of how to book the Select Committee Experience, see Booking your visit
Topical reading
A recent article assessing the impact of parliamentary select committees in the House of Commons.