Membership
The Prime Minister appoints the nine members from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, after considering nominations from Parliament and in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition. Serving ministers are not allowed to be members, but members may previously have held ministerial positions. Members of the committee cease to be members when Parliament is dissolved, and new members are appointed after the new Parliament convenes.
In July 2008, a vote and debate on a motion to bring the committee under the administration of the Houses of Parliament rather than the Prime Minister was lost. However, membership has effectively been decided by each house of Parliament, though the Prime Minister formally appoints the members. As of 7 December 2010, the membership of the committee is as follows:
- Rt Hon. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, KCMG QC MP (Chairman)
- Rt Hon. Hazel Blears, MP
- Rt Hon. Sir Menzies Campbell, CBE QC MP
- Mark Field, MP
- Rt Hon. Paul Goggins, MP
- Rt Hon. George Howarth, MP
- Dr Julian Lewis, MP
- Lord Butler of Brockwell, KG GCB CVO PC
- Most Hon. The Marquess of Lothian, PC DL QC
Source: ISC: Committee Members
Previous chairs of the committee are Tom King (1994–2001), Ann Taylor (2001–05), Paul Murphy (2005–08), Margaret Beckett (January – October 2008), and Dr. Kim Howells (2008–10).
Read more about this topic: Intelligence And Security Committee
Famous quotes containing the word membership:
“The two real political parties in America are the Winners and the Losers. The people don’t acknowledge this. They claim membership in two imaginary parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, instead.”
—Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (b. 1922)