The Justice Select Committee of the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 is a select committee of the House of Commons

British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

 which scrutinizes the policy, administration, and spending of the Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)

The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...

. In addition, the committee examines the work of the Law Officers of the Crown

Law Officers of the Crown

The Law Officers of the Crown are the chief legal advisers to the Crown, and advise and represent the various governments in the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms. In England and Wales, Northern Ireland and most Commonwealth and colonial governments, the chief law officer of the...

, the Serious Fraud Office (UK)

Serious Fraud Office (UK)

The Serious Fraud Office is an independent UK Government department that investigates and prosecutes serious or complex fraud and corruption...

, and the Crown Prosecution Service

Crown Prosecution Service

The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...

. The committee also reviews draft Sentencing Guidelines issued by the Sentencing Guidelines Council

Sentencing Guidelines Council

The Sentencing Guidelines Council was a non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom, created by s.167 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003. It gave authoritative guidance on sentencing to the courts of England and Wales...

.

Membership

As of 31 October 2011, the members of the committee are as follows:

Member		Party	Constituency
	Rt Hon Sir Alan Beith Alan Beith Sir Alan James Beith is a British Liberal Democrat politician and Member of Parliament for Berwick-upon-Tweed.-Early life:Alan Beith was born in 1943 in Poynton, in Cheshire...  MP (Chair)	Liberal Democrat Liberal Democrats The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...	Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (UK Parliament constituency) Berwick-upon-Tweed is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
	Robert Buckland Robert Buckland Robert James Buckland is a British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Swindon South, having won the seat from the Labour Party at the 2010 general election....  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Swindon South
	Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Islington North since 1983.-Early and personal life:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Islington North Islington North (UK Parliament constituency) Islington North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...
	Nick de Bois Nick de Bois Geoffrey Nicholas "Nick" de Bois is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Enfield North, defeating the Labour incumbent MP Joan Ryan....  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Enfield North
	Chris Evans Chris Evans (UK politician) Christopher James "Chris" Evans is a British Labour Co-operative politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Islwyn since 2010.-External links:* Welsh Labour Party profile...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Islwyn Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency) Islwyn is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.This area, historically known for coal-mining, is a safe Labour Party seat latterly held by the former Leader of the Opposition Neil Kinnock...
	Ben Gummer MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Ipswich Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency) Ipswich is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
	Elfyn Llwyd Elfyn Llwyd Elfyn Llwyd, PC is a Welsh barrister and politician. He has been a Member of Parliament since 1992, representing Meirionnydd Nant Conwy in the House of Commons from 1992 to 2010 and Dwyfor Meirionnydd since 2010...  MP	Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...	Dwyfor Meirionnydd Dwyfor Meirionnydd (UK Parliament constituency) Dwyfor Meirionnydd is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . The seat was created by the Welsh Boundary Commission for the 2010 general election, and replaced the old north Wales seat of Meirionnydd Nant Conwy...
	Claire Perry Claire Perry Claire Louise Perry is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Devizes since the 2010 general election.-Biography:Education...  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	Devizes Devizes (UK Parliament constituency) Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
	Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi Yasmin Qureshi is a British-Pakistani Labour Party politician and a barrister practicing criminal law. She was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bolton South East in the May 2010 general election.-Early life:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Bolton South East
	Linda Riordan Linda Riordan Linda June Riordan is an English Labour Co-operative politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Halifax since 2005.-Early life:Riordan was born in Halifax and graduated from the University of Bradford....  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...  Co-op Co-operative Party The Co-operative Party is a centre-left political party in the United Kingdom committed to supporting and representing co-operative principles. The party does not put up separate candidates for any UK election itself. Instead, Co-operative candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party as "Labour...	Halifax Halifax (UK Parliament constituency) Halifax is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.- Boundaries :...
	Elizabeth Truss Elizabeth Truss Elizabeth Mary Truss , also known as Liz Truss, is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk since the 2010 general election.-Early life:...  MP	Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...	South West Norfolk
	Karl Turner Karl Turner (politician) Karl Turner is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull East since 2010.-Early life:...  MP	Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...	Kingston upon Hull East Kingston upon Hull East (UK Parliament constituency) Kingston upon Hull East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...

Source: Justice Committee

Changes

Occasionally, the House of Commons orders changes to be made in terms of membership of select committees, as proposed by the Committee of Selection. Such changes are shown below.

Date	Outgoing Member & Party		Constituency	→	New Member & Party		Constituency	Source
29 November 2010		Jessica Lee Jessica Lee (politician) Jessica Katherine Lee is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, she was elected as the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Erewash in Derbyshire in 2010...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Erewash Erewash (UK Parliament constituency) Erewash is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:The constituency covers the borough of Erewash....	→		Ben Gummer MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Ipswich Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency) Ipswich is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...	Hansard
		Anna Soubry Anna Soubry Anna Mary Soubry is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Broxtowe since the 2010 general election. She is a single mother of two children....  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Broxtowe Broxtowe (UK Parliament constituency) Broxtowe is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...			Elizabeth Truss Elizabeth Truss Elizabeth Mary Truss , also known as Liz Truss, is a British Conservative Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for South West Norfolk since the 2010 general election.-Early life:...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	South West Norfolk
16 May 2011		Siân James Sian James (politician) Siân Catherine James is a Welsh Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Swansea East since 2005.-Early life:She spent most of her childhood in the Swansea Valley, where her parents ran a public house...  MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Swansea East Swansea East (UK Parliament constituency) Swansea East is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.- Boundaries :The constituency comprises the electoral wards of Bonymaen, Cwmbwrla, Landore, Llansamlet, Morriston, Mynydd-Bach, Penderry, and St.Thomas...	→		Jeremy Corbin MP (Labour Labour Party (UK) The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after... )	Islington North Islington North (UK Parliament constituency) Islington North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election...	Hansard
31 October 2011		Helen Grant Helen Grant (politician) Helen Grant is a British lawyer and Conservative Party politician. She is the current Member of Parliament for Maidstone and The Weald in Kent. She was elected at the 2010 general election, replacing the constituency's previous incumbent, Ann Widdecombe, who had decided to step down as an MP...  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Maidstone and The Weald	→		Nick de Bois Nick de Bois Geoffrey Nicholas "Nick" de Bois is a British Conservative Party politician, who was elected at the 2010 general election as the Member of Parliament for Enfield North, defeating the Labour incumbent MP Joan Ryan....  MP (Conservative Conservative Party (UK) The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House... )	Enfield North	Hansard

External links

• Official website
• Ministry of Justice