Select Committees powers discussion - Today Programme part 2

Amy Street, barrister and Research Director of the Constitution Society and Margaret Hodge MP, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, discuss the limitations of select committee powers.

The Constitution Society today release a report that finds select committees have no powers in practice to compel witnesses to appear to give evidence, and explores the difficult constitutional issues raised by the question whether to create such powers. Margaret Hodge believes the current system is working, but what would happen if a witness disobeys a summons?