Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries
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Launching Committee Corridor – a new podcast from the House of Commons

Committee Corridor – a brand new podcast exploring the work of Select Committees – will launch on May 12, 2022.

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Marking the start of a new parliamentary session, Committee Corridor will air six episodes from May 12 until the summer recess, with a further six episodes expected during the Autumn. This pilot podcast from the Select Committee Team will demonstrate how select committees can influence the arguments and outcomes of some of the biggest topics in 2022. 

Each podcast will feature a key interview with an expert external guest followed by discussion by parliamentarians. Select committees reflect the make-up of the House of Commons, resulting in a cross-party balance of members and the opportunity to hear voices from across the political spectrum.  

The first host of Committee Corridor will be the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Tom Tugendhat MP, who takes a deeper look at international affairs. In the first episode on May 12, he explores what Russia’s actions in Ukraine mean for its relationships across the world and with the UK. He speaks with Fiona Hill, a former director for Europe and Russia at the US National Security Council, who served as an intelligence analyst under Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama and later, as deputy assistant to President Donald Trump. The podcast conversation then moves to Foreign Affairs Committee members, the SNP’s Stewart Malcolm McDonald MP and Conservative, Alicia Kearns MP. Future episodes include the security situation in Afghanistan and the status of Taiwan.  

Comments

The podcast’s first host, Tom Tugendhat MP, said:  

“As a new parliamentary session gets underway, it feels like the perfect time to launch a new podcast on the work of the select committees – an essential part of the scrutiny of our Government. I’m delighted to be the first host of Committee Corridor and to bring some of our thinking to a wider audience, starting with international affairs and Ukraine. From her UK/US perspective, Fiona Hill offers us a unique insight on what’s driving the Russian President Vladimir Putin. Opening this to Committee colleagues, we consider the impact of his actions on the UK’s relationships, near and far.” 

The Managing Director of the Select Committee Team, Colin Lee, said: 

“Away from the heat of the House of Commons Chamber, MPs regularly sit down with colleagues from all parties to focus on examining key questions of the day and how they relate to the work of Government. Working together, Members weigh up the evidence and ask the questions that need asking, resulting in work which challenges and influences Government action. The House of Commons aspires to bring that work to life for as wide an audience as possible. We hope this podcast will offer a new way to engage with the work of select committees.” 

Select Committees have become an established and critical part of the UK’s parliamentary democracy. Along the length of committee corridor above the House of Commons and in Portcullis House, cross-party groups of MPs work together to investigate critical issues of the day and put their findings directly to Government, who must respond. Recent examples include failings in maternity hospitals, concerns about smart motorways, the evacuation of Afghanistan in summer 2021 and during the Coronavirus pandemic, MPs pushed ministers, officials and former employees for the evidence to back up Government actions. 

Committee Corridor will be available from the UK Parliament website as well as all the usual podcast providers. A transcript of each episode will be published on the day of release. Plans are underway to profile the work of other select committees in a further six episodes in the Autumn. 

Further information

 

Channel website: http://www.parliament.uk/

Original article link: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/news/press-releases/2022-05-11/national-lottery-funded-mental-health-project-helped-save-my-life

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