Defence Select Committee

UK House of Commons select committee

The Defence Select Committee is one of the Select Committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having been established in 1979. It examines the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies,[1] including the British Armed Forces. The Committee's remit does not generally review Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.[2]

## Membership

[edit]

Members are as follows:[3]

Member  | Party  | Constituency

|
|

| Tan Dhesi MP (chair)  | Labour | Slough
| Calvin Bailey MP  | Labour | Leyton and Wanstead
| Alex Baker MP  | Labour | Aldershot
| Lincoln Jopp MP  | Conservative | Spelthorne
| Emma Lewell-Buck MP  | Labour | South Shields
| Mike Martin MP  | Lib Dems | Tunbridge Wells
| Jesse Norman MP  | Conservative | Hereford and South Herefordshire
| Ian Roome MP  | Lib Dems | North Devon
| Michelle Scrogham MP  | Labour | Barrow and Furness
| Fred Thomas MP  | Labour | Plymouth Moor View
| Derek Twigg MP  | Labour | Widnes and Halewood

## 2019-2024 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 29 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020.[4][5]

Member  | Party  | Constituency

|
|

| Tobias Ellwood (chair)  | Conservative | Bournemouth East
| Stuart Anderson | Conservative | Wolverhampton South West
| Sarah Atherton | Conservative | Wrexham
| Wayne David | Labour | Caerphilly
| Tan Dhesi | Labour | Slough
| Martin Docherty-Hughes | Scottish National Party | West Dunbartonshire
| Richard Drax | Conservative | South Dorset
| Mark Francois | Conservative | Rayleigh and Wickford
| Emma Lewell-Buck | Labour | South Shields
| Gavin Robinson | Democratic Unionist Party | Belfast East
| John Spellar | Labour | Warley

### Changes 2019-2024

[edit]

Date  | Outgoing Member
& Party  | Constituency  | →  | New Member
& Party  | Constituency  | Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

11 May 2020  |  | Wayne David MP (Labour)  | Caerphilly | →  |  | Kevan Jones MP (Labour)  | North Durham | Hansard
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (Labour)  | Slough | Derek Twigg MP (Labour)  | Halton
5 January 2022  |  | Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP)  | West Dunbartonshire | →  |  | Dave Doogan MP (SNP)  | Angus | Hansard
25 October 2022  |  | Stuart Anderson MP (Conservative)  | Wolverhampton South West | →  |  | Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative)  | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | Hansard
Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative)  | Wrexham | Robert Courts MP (Conservative)  | Witney
8 November 2022  |  | Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative)  | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | →  |  | Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative)  | Wrexham | Hansard
12 September 2023  |  | Dave Doogan MP (SNP)  | Angus | →  |  | Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP)  | West Dunbartonshire | Hansard
14 September 2023  |  | Tobias Ellwood MP (chair, Conservative)  | Bournemouth East | →  | Vacant | Hansard
25 October 2023  | Vacant | →  |  | Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative)  | Witney | Hansard
| Robert Courts MP (Conservative)  | Witney | →  | Vacant
11 December 2023  | Vacant | →  |  | Jesse Norman MP (Conservative)  | Hereford and South Herefordshire | Hansard
12 December 2023  |  | Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative)  | Witney | →  | Vacant | Hansard
17 January 2024  | Vacant | →  |  | Jeremy Quin MP (chair, Conservative)  | Horsham | Hansard

## 2017–2019 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.[6][7]

Member  | Party  | Constituency

|
|

| Julian Lewis (chair)  | Conservative | New Forest East
| Leo Docherty | Conservative | Aldershot
| Martin Docherty-Hughes | Scottish National Party | West Dunbartonshire
| Mark Francois | Conservative | Rayleigh and Wickford
| Graham Jones | Labour | Hyndburn
| Johnny Mercer | Conservative | Plymouth Moor View
| Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend
| Gavin Robinson | Democratic Unionist Party | Belfast East
| Ruth Smeeth | Labour | Stoke-on-Trent North
| John Spellar | Labour | Warley
| Phil Wilson | Labour | Sedgefield

## 2015–2017 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015.[8][9]

Member  | Party  | Constituency

|
|

| Julian Lewis (chair)  | Conservative | New Forest East
| Richard Benyon | Conservative | Newbury
| Douglas Chapman | Scottish National Party | Dunfermline and West Fife
| James Gray | Conservative | North Wiltshire
| Johnny Mercer | Conservative | Plymouth Moor View
| Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend
| Conor McGinn | Labour | St Helens North
| Jim Shannon | Democratic Unionist Party | Strangford
| Ruth Smeeth | Labour | Stoke-on-Trent North
| John Spellar | Labour | Warley
| Bob Stewart | Conservative | Beckenham

### Changes 2015–2017

[edit]

Date  | Outgoing Member
& Party  | Constituency  | →  | New Member
& Party  | Constituency  | Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

26 October 2015  |  | Conor McGinn MP (Labour)  | St Helens North | →  |  | Phil Wilson MP (Labour)  | Sedgefield | Hansard
31 October 2016  |  | Richard Benyon MP (Conservative)  | Newbury | →  |  | Jack Lopresti MP (Conservative)  | Filton and Bradley Stoke | Hansard
5 December 2016  |  | Jim Shannon MP (DUP)  | Strangford  | →  |  | Gavin Robinson MP (DUP)  | Belfast East | Hansard

## 2010–2015 Parliament

[edit]

The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010.[10][11]

Member  | Party  | Constituency

|
|

| James Arbuthnot (chair)  | Conservative | North East Hampshire
| Julian Brazier | Conservative | Canterbury
| Jeffrey Donaldson | Democratic Unionist Party | Lagan Valley
| John Glen | Conservative | Salisbury
| David Hamilton | Labour | Midlothian
| Mike Hancock | Liberal Democrats | Portsmouth South
| Adam Holloway | Conservative | Gravesham
| Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend
| Alison Seabeck | Labour | Plymouth Moor View
| Bob Stewart | Conservative | Beckenham
| Gisela Stuart | Labour | Birmingham Edgbaston
| John Woodcock | Labour and Co-op | Barrow and Furness

### Changes 2010–2015

[edit]

Date  | Outgoing Member
& Party  | Constituency  | →  | New Member
& Party  | Constituency  | Source

|
|
|
|
|
|

2 November 2010  |  | Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)  | Gravesham | →  |  | Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative)  | Portsmouth North | Hansard
| David Hamilton MP (Labour)  | Midlothian |  | Thomas Docherty MP (Labour)  | Dunfermline and West Fife
Alison Seabeck MP (Labour)  | Plymouth Moor View | Dai Havard MP (Labour)  | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op)  | Barrow and Furness | Sandra Osborne MP (Labour)  | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
24 October 2011  |  | Mike Hancock MP (Liberal Democrats)  | Portsmouth South | →  |  | Bob Russell MP (Liberal Democrats)  | Colchester | Hansard
5 November 2012  |  | John Glen MP (Conservative)  | Salisbury | →  |  | Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)  | Gravesham | Hansard
10 June 2013  |  | Sandra Osborne MP (Labour)  | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | →  |  | Derek Twigg MP (Labour)  | Halton | Hansard
4 November 2013  |  | Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative)  | Portsmouth North | →  |  | James Gray MP (Conservative)  | North Wiltshire | Hansard
25 November 2013  |  | Thomas Docherty MP (Labour)  | Dunfermline and West Fife | →  |  | John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op)  | Barrow and Furness | Hansard
28 April 2014  |  | James Arbuthnot MP (chair, Conservative)  | North East Hampshire | →  | Vacant | Hansard
14 May 2014  | Vacant | →  |  | Rory Stewart MP (chair, Conservative)  | Penrith and The Border | Hansard
3 November 2014  |  | Julian Brazier MP (Conservative)  | Canterbury | →  |  | Richard Benyon MP (Conservative)  | Newbury | Hansard
Adam Holloway MP (Conservative)  | Gravesham | Julian Lewis MP (Conservative)  | New Forest East

## Chair of the Defence Select Committee

[edit]

Chair  | Party  | Constituency  | First elected  | Method

|
|
|
|

| Michael Mates | Conservative | East Hampshire | 1987  | Elected by the Select Committee
| Michael Colvin | Conservative | Romsey and Waterside | 1995  | Elected by the Select Committee
| Bruce George | Labour | Walsall South | 16 July 1997  | Elected by the Select Committee
| James Arbuthnot | Conservative | North East Hampshire | 13 July 2005  | Elected by the Select Committee
(and the House of Commons in 2010)
| Rory Stewart | Conservative | Penrith and The Border | 14 May 2014  | Elected by the House of Commons
| Julian Lewis | Conservative | New Forest East | 17 June 2015  | Elected by the House of Commons
| Tobias Ellwood | Conservative | Bournemouth East | 29 January 2020  | Elected by the House of Commons
| Independent
| Conservative
| Robert Courts | Conservative | Witney | 25 October 2023  | Elected by the House of Commons
| Jeremy Quin | Conservative | Horsham | 17 January 2024  | Elected by the House of Commons

### Election results

[edit]

From June 2010 chairs of select committees have been directly elected by a secret ballot of the whole House of Commons using the alternative vote system. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed until one remaining candidate has more than half of valid votes.[12] Elections are held at the beginning of a parliament or in the event of a vacancy.[13]

17 January 2024[14]

Candidate  | 1st round
Votes  | %
| Jeremy Quin | 371  | 78.6
| Rehman Chishti | 101  | 21.4
Valid votes | 472
25 October 2023[15]

Candidate  | 1st round
Votes  | %
| Robert Courts | 249  | 57.9
| Sarah Atherton | 142  | 33.0
| Mark Francois | 39  | 9.1
Valid votes | 430
29 January 2020[16]

Candidate  | 1st round  | 2nd round  | 3rd round  | 4th round
Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
| Tobias Ellwood | 243  | 43.2  | 256  | 46.1  | 271  | 49.7  | 296  | 56.7
| Sir Bernard Jenkin | 173  | 30.8  | 183  | 33.0  | 193  | 35.4  | 226  | 43.3
| Robert Courts | 62  | 11.0  | 68  | 12.3  | 81  | 14.9  | Eliminated
| Adam Holloway | 45  | 8.0  | 48  | 8.6  | Eliminated
| James Gray | 39  | 6.9  | Eliminated
Not redistributed |  |  | 7  | 1.2  | 17  | 3.0  | 40  | 7.1
Valid votes | 562  |  | 555  |  | 545  |  | 522  |
12 July 2017[17]

Candidate  | 1st round
Votes  | %
| Julian Lewis | 305  | 53.5
| Johnny Mercer | 265  | 46.5
Not redistributed |  |
Valid votes | 570  |
17 June 2015[18]

Candidate  | 1st round  | 2nd round
Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
| Julian Lewis | 260  | 44.1  | 314  | 56.5
| Richard Benyon | 208  | 35.3  | 242  | 43.5
| Bob Stewart | 121  | 20.5  | Eliminated
Not redistributed |  |  | 33  | 5.6
Valid votes | 589  |  | 556  |
14 May 2014[19]

Candidate  | 1st round  | 2nd round  | 3rd round  | 4th round  | 5th round  | 6th round  | 7th round
Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
| Rory Stewart | 113  | 23.6  | 115  | 24.1  | 122  | 25.7  | 139  | 29.3  | 149  | 31.9  | 179  | 39.3  | 226  | 51.6
| Julian Lewis | 124  | 25.9  | 128  | 26.8  | 131  | 27.6  | 138  | 29.1  | 156  | 33.4  | 165  | 36.2  | 212  | 48.4
| Julian Brazier | 68  | 14.2  | 71  | 14.9  | 71  | 14.9  | 77  | 16.2  | 90  | 19.3  | 112  | 24.6  | Eliminated
| Keith Simpson | 48  | 10.0  | 48  | 10.1  | 51  | 10.7  | 61  | 12.8  | 72  | 15.4  | Eliminated
| Bob Stewart | 52  | 10.9  | 54  | 11.3  | 56  | 11.8  | 60  | 12.6  | Eliminated
| Crispin Blunt | 44  | 9.2  | 44  | 9.2  | 44  | 9.3  | Eliminated
| Tobias Ellwood | 17  | 3.5  | 17  | 3.6  | Eliminated
| James Gray | 13  | 2.7  | Eliminated
Not redistributed |  |  | 2  | 0.4  | 4  | 0.8  | 4  | 0.8  | 12  | 2.5  | 23  | 4.8  | 41  | 8.6
Valid votes | 479  |  | 477  |  | 475  |  | 475  |  | 467  |  | 456  |  | 438  |
9 June 2010[20]

Candidate  | 1st round  | 2nd round  | 3rd round
Votes  | %  | Votes  | %  | Votes  | %
| James Arbuthnot | 210  | 36.6  | 236  | 42.4  | 273  | 52.7
| Patrick Mercer | 176  | 30.7  | 189  | 33.9  | 245  | 47.3
| Julian Lewis | 115  | 20.1  | 132  | 23.7  | Eliminated
| Douglas Carswell | 72  | 12.6  | Eliminated
Not redistributed |  |  | 16  | 2.8  | 55  | 9.6
Valid votes | 573  |  | 557  |  | 518  |

## See also

[edit]

* Parliamentary Committees of the United Kingdom

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Defence Committee". parliament.uk. Archived from the original on 29 December 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2021. "The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies."
2. ^ "Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament". gov.uk. Retrieved 29 December 2021. "The ISC oversees the policies, expenditure, administration and operations of MI5, MI6, GCHQ, Defence Intelligence, the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and Homeland Security Group."
3. ^ "Defence Committee membership appointed". committees.parliament.uk. Defence Committee. 29 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
4. ^ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 670\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 6 May 2020.
5. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 672\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 2 March 2020.
6. ^ "Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 627\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2017.
7. ^ "Business without Debate". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 628\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 11 September 2017.
8. ^ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 597\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 18 June 2015.
9. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 598\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 8 July 2015.
10. ^ "Speaker's Statement". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 511\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 10 June 2010.
11. ^ "Committees". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Vol. 513\. Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. 12 July 2010.
12. ^ "Standing Orders of the House of Commons". Publications.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
13. ^ Priddy, Sarah. "Chairs of Commons select committees since 2010". Researchbriefings.parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
14. ^ "Defence Committee Chair Election - Result Sheet" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
15. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIR OF DEFENCE SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
16. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
17. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
18. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
19. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
20. ^ "ELECTION FOR CHAIRS OF SELECT COMMITTEES: RESULT" (PDF). Parliament.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2018.

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