Definition

1. Noun:
   • A select committee is a small group of members from a larger legislative body, such as a parliament or congress, that is appointed to investigate, examine, or report on a specific issue or piece of proposed legislation. Its work is typically temporary and focused on a particular subject.

Usage

• A select committee is formed to deal with a specific, often complex, matter that requires detailed scrutiny. It is a common feature in parliamentary systems like those of the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Example: "The House of Commons established a select committee to investigate the environmental impact of the new policy."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The Prime Minister agreed to appear before the select committee on national security.
  • After months of hearings, the select committee published its final report on healthcare reform.

Advanced Usage

• "to be appointed to a select committee": to be chosen as a member of such a committee.
  • Several backbench MPs were appointed to the select committee.
• "to appear before a select committee": to give evidence or testimony to the committee.
  • The company's CEO was summoned to appear before the select committee.

Variants and Related Words

• Committee (n): A group of people appointed for a specific function, typically within a larger organization. A select committee is a type of committee.
• Subcommittee (n): A smaller committee formed from a main committee to focus on a specific part of its work.
• Joint committee (n): A committee composed of members from both houses of a bicameral legislature.

Synonyms

• Special committee: A committee set up for a particular purpose.
• Ad hoc committee: A committee formed for a specific task, often implying a temporary nature.

Related Phrases

• Committee stage: The phase in the legislative process where a bill is examined in detail by a committee, which could be a select committee or another type.
• Select committee report: The formal document presenting the findings and recommendations of the committee's investigation.

Noun

1. a parliamentary committee appointed for some special purpose