Parlimentary select committee ????

Can someone explain the above?  As far as I can see they have no powers except to summon people they wish to ask questions of.

For example what will happen to Tony Blair if the findings prove he was in the wrong.  Similarly, what will happen to the Sports Direct Mike Ashley?

It seems a total waste of time and it seems that there is one held at the drop of a hat.

In theory a Select Committee can summon people to appear before it. If they fail to appear they can be held to be in Contempt of Parliament, there are still cells beneath Parliament where such people can be held.  It is also perfectly possible and not unusual for someone to appear before the Committee and refuse to answer a single question. Members of Parliament who are summoned to appear before them must attend or can be sanctioned.

In practice the principle is overridden by the Common Laws of England entitling everyone to a trial in a court, not to mention swathes of Human Rights legislation etc.

Basically if someone says they wont turn up there is no way of making them, that said MP's can make complaints to professional bodies etc which can lead to persons being disqualified as directors of companies and part of that complaint can include a reluctance to public scrutiny. However it is all archaic and mostly arcane so total waste of time isn't far off the mark for non Members of Parliament.

They are essential in the same way as all the terrifyingly expensive investigations that take place "to ensure that it never happens again!"

Yeah - OK. I'm convinced!

Dave

Love watching it, it's the only chance you get to watch people squirm. It's the BHS fiasco on today.

Dave