Committee of Privileges

CommonsSelectest. 07 Jan 2013Email ↗● Actively Monitored
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Sessions analysed1
Positions3
Recommendations1

Latest Signals

26 Nov 2025Attempt to block laying of special report may be contemptHouse of CommonsConcern
“[Speaker: Saira Salimi] I wrote initially to the Charity Commission in July to explain that the commissioner has a very close connection with the House of Commons—she is an Officer of the House—and that connection is particularly with the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee. I explained that the courts have repeatedly recognised the importance of parliamentary accountability alongside legal accountability. Parliamentary accountability may take place in a number of ways. It may come through an order of the House, as it did in this case, in the end, or it may come through legislation that requires or permits a body to report to the House.”
26 Nov 2025House order should take precedence before court actionHouse of CommonsPosition
26 Nov 2025PHSO says withholding lay would have caused continuing contemptHouse of CommonsConcern
26 Nov 2025PHSO says judicial review was about non-complianceParliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)Position
26 Nov 2025Charity Commission says PHSO overreached into criminal allegationsCharity Commission for England and WalesConcern
26 Nov 2025PHSO says Commission’s claim was academic after layingParliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)Concern
26 Nov 2025Charity Commission says challenge is about jurisdiction, not blocking ParliamentCharity Commission for England and WalesPosition
26 Nov 2025Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 governs special reportsHouse of CommonsLegislative

Recent Sessions

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26 Nov 2025Privileges Committee: Charity Commission vs PHSO
3 pos4 concern1 rec1 disag1 leg

Recent Commitments

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Recent Recommendations

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Frequent Witnesses

House of Commons1× · 5 insights
Charity Commission for England and Wales1× · 3 insights
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)1× · 2 insights

About this committee

Privileges scrutinises breaches of parliamentary privilege and contempts of Parliament, protecting the rights and immunities of Members. Operating as a Commons select committee, it investigates complaints and can take oral evidence from witnesses. The committee examines matters affecting the dignity and functioning of the House. In November 2025, the committee analysed a privilege case involving the Charity Commission and the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, considering how the actions of these external bodies may have infringed parliamentary privilege. This inquiry reflects the committee's role in monitoring whether public institutions respect the constitutional protections afforded to Parliament and its Members. Such cases form part of the committee's wider remit to uphold parliamentary privilege standards.