About committees
Everything you need to know about committees
Contents
- What is a committee?
- What do committees do?
- How are committees formed?
- What are the roles in a committee?
- How do committees hold the Scottish Government to account?
- What’s the difference between committees and Cross-Party Groups?
- How to get involved
How do committees hold the Scottish Government to account?
Committees are responsible for looking at work in their remit. This includes holding inquiries and examining bills (proposed laws). They also look at the Scottish Government's work to see what it has planned and what it has already done.
The committee can hold the Scottish Government to account by:
- publishing reports with recommendations that the Scottish Government must respond to
- holding debates in the Chamber with ministers and other MSPs
Committees can also:
- ask the Scottish Government for information
- ask ministers and civil servants to answer questions in person