Digital Skills Parliamentary Committee Launched

Last week, the House of Lords announced the creation of a new Select Committee on Digital Skills to consider and report on IT, technology, competitiveness and skills in the UK.

On 12^th June, three days after the original announcement, the Committee members were officially revealed, including Baroness Morgan of Huyton from Labour as the Chairman.

The other members are:

• Lord Aberdare (Crossbench)
• Earl of Courtown (Conservative)
• Baroness Garden of Frognal  (Liberal Democrat)
• Lord Giddens (Labour)
• Lord Haskel (Labour)
• Lord Holmes of Richmond (Conservative)
• Lord Janvrin (Crossbench)
• Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope (Liberal Democrat)
• Lord Lucas (Conservative)
• Lord Macdonald of Tradeston (Labour)
• Baroness O’Cathain (Conservative).

It is expected that an inquiry will be formally launched in the next few weeks – a call for evidence will be published late June or early July.

Recommendations are expected to be submitted and a report published by 5th March 2015.

The Digital Skills Committee will be meeting in private on 18^th June where further details about how the members intend to proceed will be discussed.

Lords Committees are set up to investigate specific policy areas and issues – whether it’s short, narrowly focused investigations or broad, long-term inquiries – and then report on their findings.

Ad hoc Committees are formed when subject falls outside of these areas but the House of Lords still wishes to consider a certain issue.

Previously, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has investigated a number of digital public sector projects, including the Criminal Justice IT System and the retired NHS Choose and Book programme.

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