Issues of diversity in elected bodies have been highlighted in recent years, primarily around the characteristics of elected representatives, but more recently in respect of the treatment of those working in such institutions, particularly women.
However, it is also important to consider who parliaments hear from, with one important element of that being the work of the committees that scrutinise legislation and the actions of governments. There are a variety of academic literatures that can be used to support arguments for a greater diversity of witnesses to parliamentary committees, including those around ‘representation’, ‘policy-making and evaluation’, and ‘engagement, participation and legitimacy’.
University of Lincoln, College of Social Science Research
Hugh Bochel, University of Lincoln, School of Social and Political Sciences