Role of the Committee

Welcome to the Speaker's Committee for the Electoral Commission

The Speaker’s Committee is a statutory body whose role is defined by the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, as amended by the Elections Act 2022, and the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009. The work of the Committee relates to the Electoral Commission and the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). The Committee reviews the annual estimates of the resources the Electoral Commission and LGBCE, in order to ensure they are consistent with the efficient and cost-effective discharge of their functions. It also considers the two organisations' five-year plans.

The Speaker's Committee oversees the recruitment processes for the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Electoral Commissioners and the Chair of the LGBCE. The candidates for these posts are then approved by the House of Commons and appointed by the Queen.

The Speaker’s Committee also has the power to examine the performance by the Electoral Commission of the Commission’s duty to have regard to a Strategy and Policy Statement. The Committee is one of the three bodies the Government is statutorily required to consult before the Secretary of State can lay a Strategy and Policy Statement for Parliament’s approval.