Closed petition Legislate to ensure effective sanctions for contempt of Parliament

Closed on 8 October 2019

While the Select Committees of the House of Commons can seek witnesses and evidence they have no effective sanction for when compliance is denied, attendance refused or evidence destroyed. This clearly must be brought to an abrupt end.

Select Committees must be given the power to compel obedience to their summonses. Legislation should give courts the power to impose sanctions such as a maximum sentence of two years or £250,000 fine.

All that should be needed is a Resolution of the Committee endorsed by the Whole House. A Committee could also issue a Search Order if they feared destruction of evidence. The evidence would be delivered to them thus enabling them to conduct a full enquiry whenever necessary.