{{Short description|UK House of Commons select committee}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} The '''Defence Select Committee''' is one of the Select Committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, having been established in 1979. It examines the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee |title=Defence Committee |work=parliament.uk |access-date=29 December 2021 |quote=The Defence Committee is appointed by the House of Commons to examine the expenditure, administration, and policy of the Ministry of Defence and its associated public bodies. |archive-date=29 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229204516/https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee |url-status=dead }}</ref> including the British Armed Forces. The Committee's remit does not generally review Defence Intelligence which instead falls under the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://isc.independent.gov.uk/ |title=Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament |work=gov.uk |access-date=29 December 2021 |quote=The ISC oversees the policies, expenditure, administration and operations of MI5, MI6, GCHQ, Defence Intelligence, the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the National Security Secretariat (NSS) and Homeland Security Group.}}</ref>
==Membership== Members are as follows:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/news/203484/defence-committee-membership-appointed/ |title=Defence Committee membership appointed |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=29 October 2024 |website=committees.parliament.uk |publisher=Defence Committee |access-date=31 October 2024 |quote=}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member ! valign="top" | Party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Tan Dhesi MP (chair) | Labour | Slough |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Calvin Bailey MP | Labour | Leyton and Wanstead |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Alex Baker MP | Labour | Aldershot |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Lincoln Jopp MP | Conservative | Spelthorne |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Emma Lewell MP | Labour | South Shields |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Mike Martin MP |Lib Dems |Tunbridge Wells |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Jesse Norman MP | Conservative | Hereford and South Herefordshire |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | | Ian Roome MP | Lib Dems | North Devon |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Michelle Scrogham MP | Labour | Barrow and Furness |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Fred Thomas MP | Labour | Plymouth Moor View |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Derek Twigg MP | Labour | Widnes and Halewood |- |}
== 2019-2024 Parliament == The chair was elected on 29 January 2020, with the members of the committee being announced on 2 March 2020.<ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker’s Statement: Select Committee Chairs |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-01-29/debates/AD4CDEB6-5C98-4172-A664-7A6CD4DA1E2E/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatementSelectCommitteeChairs |house=House of Commons |date=6 May 2020 |volume= 670 }}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Committees |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2020-03-02/debates/8B6DDBB3-CECD-4960-99B3-C2DF8913083F/Committees |house=House of Commons |date=2 March 2020 |volume= 672 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member ! valign="top" | Party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Tobias Ellwood (chair) | Conservative |Bournemouth East |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Stuart Anderson | Conservative | Wolverhampton South West |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Sarah Atherton | Conservative | Wrexham |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Wayne David | Labour | Caerphilly |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Tan Dhesi | Labour | Slough |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Martin Docherty-Hughes | Scottish National Party | West Dunbartonshire |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Richard Drax | Conservative | South Dorset |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Mark Francois | Conservative | Rayleigh and Wickford |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Emma Lewell-Buck | Labour | South Shields |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Gavin Robinson | Democratic Unionist Party | Belfast East |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | John Spellar | Labour | Warley |} {{notelist}}
===Changes 2019-2024=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! valign="top" | Source |- | rowspan=2 |11 May 2020 | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Wayne David MP (Labour) | Caerphilly | rowspan=2 |→ | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Kevan Jones MP (Labour) | North Durham | rowspan=2 |[https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2020-05-11/debates/70E7050E-185C-43C5-8200-8F160EE614BF/Committees Hansard] |- | Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi MP (Labour) | Slough | Derek Twigg MP (Labour) | Halton |- | 5 January 2022 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP) | West Dunbartonshire | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Dave Doogan MP (SNP) | Angus | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-01-05/debates/22010583000003/Committees Hansard] |- | rowspan=2 | 25 October 2022 | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Stuart Anderson MP (Conservative) | Wolverhampton South West | rowspan=2 |→ | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative) | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | rowspan=2 |[https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-10-25/debates/0ED919ED-4562-426D-9F32-8CE1284BF2B8/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative) | Wrexham | Robert Courts MP (Conservative) | Witney |- | 8 November 2022 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Andrew Bowie MP (Conservative) | West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Sarah Atherton MP (Conservative) | Wrexham | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2022-11-08/debates/A3104B55-D1E4-41D5-AE6A-7AC4FAED158E/Committees Hansard] |- | 12 September 2023 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Dave Doogan MP (SNP) | Angus | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Martin Docherty-Hughes MP (SNP) | West Dunbartonshire | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-09-12/debates/5FD3770A-D44F-47F3-BB12-D95CCB9A05DA/Committees Hansard] |- | 14 September 2023 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Tobias Ellwood MP (chair, Conservative) | Bournemouth East | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-09-14/debates/7C923B5C-FD07-4FF4-86F4-0553BFC10572/Prayers Hansard] |- | rowspan=2 | 25 October 2023 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative) | Witney | rowspan=2 | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-10-25/debates/13BE6BE3-E8FB-415F-AC96-7D6FF6979F83/EconomicActivityOfPublicBodies(OverseasMatters)Bill Hansard] |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Robert Courts MP (Conservative) | Witney | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' |- | 11 December 2023 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Jesse Norman MP (Conservative) | Hereford and South Herefordshire | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-12-11/debates/49442229-047B-424B-9ACE-71F9F9CB97A7/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | 12 December 2023 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Robert Courts MP (chair, Conservative) | Witney | → | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-12-12/debates/EF4DC56B-C58D-4F3A-A0EF-F42BBC363D21/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement Hansard] |- | 17 January 2024 | colspan=3 | ''Vacant'' | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Jeremy Quin MP (chair, Conservative) | Horsham | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2024-01-17/debates/5D699C11-620A-4804-97A6-E49E3F870A23/SafetyOfRwanda(AsylumAndImmigration)Bill Hansard] |}
==2017–2019 Parliament== The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.<ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker’s Statement: Select Committee Chairs |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-07-12/debates/B69EAA32-33CE-4783-800B-62543260ECB7/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatementSelectCommitteeChairs |house=House of Commons |date=12 July 2017 |volume= 627 }}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Business without Debate |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-09-11/debates/B9157055-C055-42AE-90D8-44B5F94F0959/BusinessWithoutDebate |house=House of Commons |date=11 September 2017 |volume= 628 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member ! valign="top" | Party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis (chair) | Conservative | New Forest East |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Leo Docherty | Conservative | Aldershot |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Martin Docherty-Hughes | Scottish National Party | West Dunbartonshire |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Mark Francois | Conservative | Rayleigh and Wickford |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Graham Jones | Labour | Hyndburn |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Johnny Mercer | Conservative | Plymouth Moor View |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Gavin Robinson | Democratic Unionist Party | Belfast East |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Ruth Smeeth | Labour | Stoke-on-Trent North |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | John Spellar | Labour | Warley |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Phil Wilson | Labour | Sedgefield |}
==2015–2017 Parliament== The chair was elected on 18 June 2015, with members being announced on 6 July 2015.<ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker’s Statement |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-06-18/debates/15061885000002/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement |house=House of Commons |date=18 June 2015 |volume= 597 }}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Committees |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-07-06/debates/1507071000003/Committees |house=House of Commons |date=8 July 2015 |volume= 598 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member ! valign="top" | Party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis (chair) | Conservative | New Forest East |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Richard Benyon | Conservative | Newbury |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" | | Douglas Chapman | Scottish National Party | Dunfermline and West Fife |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Gray | Conservative | North Wiltshire |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Johnny Mercer | Conservative | Plymouth Moor View |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Conor McGinn | Labour | St Helens North |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jim Shannon | Democratic Unionist Party | Strangford |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Ruth Smeeth | Labour | Stoke-on-Trent North |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | John Spellar | Labour | Warley |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Bob Stewart | Conservative | Beckenham |}
===Changes 2015–2017=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! valign="top" | Source |- | 26 October 2015 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Conor McGinn MP (Labour) | St Helens North | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Phil Wilson MP (Labour) | Sedgefield | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2015-10-26/debates/15102639000001/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | 31 October 2016 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Richard Benyon MP (Conservative) | Newbury | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Jack Lopresti MP (Conservative) | Filton and Bradley Stoke | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-31/debates/DDCDC4A9-09C3-49B1-A01C-6AB7799E67CA/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | 5 December 2016 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jim Shannon MP (DUP) | Strangford | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Gavin Robinson MP (DUP) | Belfast East | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2016-12-05/debates/7CF0FB3F-8C40-4AA0-A685-F2CCF2332131/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |}
==2010–2015 Parliament== The chair was elected on 10 June 2010, with members being announced on 12 July 2010.<ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker’s Statement |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-06-10/debates/10061031000002/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement |house=House of Commons |date=10 June 2010 |volume= 511 }}</ref><ref>{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Committees |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-07-12/debates/1007131000004/Committees |house=House of Commons |date=12 July 2010 |volume= 513 }}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member ! valign="top" | Party ! valign="top" | Constituency |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Arbuthnot (chair) | Conservative | North East Hampshire |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Brazier | Conservative | Canterbury |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" | | Jeffrey Donaldson | Democratic Unionist Party | Lagan Valley |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | John Glen | Conservative | Salisbury |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | David Hamilton | Labour | Midlothian |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | | Mike Hancock | Liberal Democrats | Portsmouth South |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Adam Holloway | Conservative | Gravesham |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Madeleine Moon | Labour | Bridgend |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Alison Seabeck | Labour | Plymouth Moor View |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Bob Stewart | Conservative | Beckenham |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Gisela Stuart | Labour | Birmingham Edgbaston |- | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | John Woodcock | Labour and Co-op | Barrow and Furness |}
===Changes 2010–2015=== {| class="wikitable" ! valign="top" | Date ! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! → ! colspan="2" valign="top" | New Member<br />& Party ! valign="top" | Constituency ! valign="top" | Source |- | rowspan=4 |2 November 2010 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) | Gravesham | rowspan=4 |→ | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative) | Portsmouth North | rowspan=4 |[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-11-02/debates/1011036000001/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | rowspan=3 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | David Hamilton MP (Labour) | Midlothian | rowspan=3 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Thomas Docherty MP (Labour) | Dunfermline and West Fife |- | Alison Seabeck MP (Labour) | Plymouth Moor View | Dai Havard MP (Labour) | Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney |- | John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op) | Barrow and Furness | Sandra Osborne MP (Labour) | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock |- | 24 October 2011 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | | Mike Hancock MP (Liberal Democrats) | Portsmouth South | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | | Bob Russell MP (Liberal Democrats) | Colchester | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2011-10-24/debates/1110251000003/DelegatedLegislation Hansard] |- | 5 November 2012 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | John Glen MP (Conservative) | Salisbury | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) | Gravesham | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2012-11-05/debates/12110555000004/Committees Hansard] |- | 10 June 2013 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Sandra Osborne MP (Labour) | Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Derek Twigg MP (Labour) | Halton | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2013-06-10/debates/13061046000006/Committees Hansard] |- | 4 November 2013 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Penny Mordaunt MP (Conservative) | Portsmouth North | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Gray MP (Conservative) | North Wiltshire | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2013-11-04/debates/13110416000003/Committees Hansard] |- | 25 November 2013 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Thomas Docherty MP (Labour) | Dunfermline and West Fife | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | John Woodcock MP (Labour and Co-op) | Barrow and Furness | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2013-11-25/debates/13112541000002/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard] |- | 28 April 2014 | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Arbuthnot MP (chair, Conservative) | North East Hampshire | → |colspan=3 |''Vacant'' | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2014-04-28/debates/1404283000002/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement Hansard] |- | 14 May 2014 |colspan=3 |''Vacant'' | → | style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Rory Stewart MP (chair, Conservative) | Penrith and The Border | [https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2014-05-14/debates/14051476000004/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement Hansard] |- | rowspan=2 |3 November 2014 | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Brazier MP (Conservative) | Canterbury | rowspan=2 |→ | rowspan=2 style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Richard Benyon MP (Conservative) | Newbury | rowspan=2 |[https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2014-11-03/debates/14110345000005/SITTINGSOFTHEHOUSE(11NOVEMBER) Hansard] |- | Adam Holloway MP (Conservative) | Gravesham | Julian Lewis MP (Conservative) | New Forest East |}
== Chair of the Defence Select Committee == {| class="wikitable" ! colspan="2" |Chair !Party !Constituency !First elected !Method |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Michael Mates |Conservative |East Hampshire |1987 |Elected by the Select Committee |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Michael Colvin |Conservative |Romsey and Waterside |1995 |Elected by the Select Committee |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Bruce George |Labour |Walsall South |16 July 1997 |Elected by the Select Committee |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |James Arbuthnot |Conservative |North East Hampshire |13 July 2005 |Elected by the Select Committee<br><small>(and the House of Commons in 2010)</small> |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Rory Stewart |Conservative |Penrith and The Border |14 May 2014 |Elected by the House of Commons |-- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Julian Lewis |Conservative |New Forest East |17 June 2015 |Elected by the House of Commons |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |rowspan=3 |Tobias Ellwood |Conservative |rowspan=3 |Bournemouth East |rowspan=3 |29 January 2020 |rowspan=3 |Elected by the House of Commons |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}" | |Independent |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Robert Courts |Conservative |Witney |25 October 2023 |Elected by the House of Commons |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Jeremy Quin |Conservative |Horsham |17 January 2024 |Elected by the House of Commons |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Tan Dhesi |Labour |Slough |11 September 2024 |Elected by the House of Commons |}
===Election results=== From June 2010 chairs of select committees have been directly elected by a secret ballot of the whole House of Commons using the alternative vote system. Candidates with the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed until one remaining candidate has more than half of valid votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmstords/900/body.htm#122B|title=Standing Orders of the House of Commons|website=Publications.parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> Elections are held at the beginning of a parliament or in the event of a vacancy.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN04400|title=Chairs of Commons select committees since 2010|first=Sarah|last=Priddy|website=Researchbriefings.parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="4" | 11 September 2024<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/commons-committees/2024-chair-results-sheet---all-contested-committees.pdf|format=PDF|title=Defence Committee Chair Election - Result Sheet|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=7 October 2025}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round |- ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Tan Dhesi | align="right" | 320 | align="right" | 56.8 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | | Derek Twigg | align="right" | 243 | align="right" | 43.2 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 563 |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="4" | 17 January 2024<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/commons-committees/defence/240117-results-sheet-defence-committee.pdf|format=PDF|title=Defence Committee Chair Election - Result Sheet|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=18 January 2024}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round |- ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Jeremy Quin | align="right" | 371 | align="right" | 78.6 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Rehman Chishti | align="right" | 101 | align="right" | 21.4 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 472 |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="4" | 25 October 2023<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/commons-committees/results-sheet--defence-committee.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chair of Defence Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=2 December 2023}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round |- ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Robert Courts | align="right" | 249 | align="right" | 57.9 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Sarah Atherton | align="right" | 142 | align="right" | 33.0 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Mark Francois | align="right" | 39 | align="right" | 9.1 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 430 |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="16" | 29 January 2020<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons/Results-spreadsheet-SC-Chairs-2020-a.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=7 March 2020}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round ! colspan="2" | 2nd round ! colspan="2" | 3rd round ! colspan="2" | 4th round |- ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Tobias Ellwood | align="right" | 243 | align="right" | 43.2 | align="right" | 256 | align="right" | 46.1 | align="right" | 271 | align="right" | 49.7 | align="right" | 296 | align="right" | 56.7 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Sir Bernard Jenkin | align="right" | 173 | align="right" | 30.8 | align="right" | 183 | align="right" | 33.0 | align="right" | 193 | align="right" | 35.4 | align="right" | 226 | align="right" | 43.3 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Robert Courts | align="right" | 62 | align="right" | 11.0 | align="right" | 68 | align="right" | 12.3 | align="right" | 81 | align="right" | 14.9 | colspan="2" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Adam Holloway | align="right" | 45 | align="right" | 8.0 | align="right" | 48 | align="right" | 8.6 | colspan="4" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Gray | align="right" | 39 | align="right" | 6.9 | colspan="6" | ''Eliminated'' |- | colspan="2" | ''Not redistributed'' | align="right" | | align="right" | | align="right" | 7 | align="right" | 1.2 | align="right" | 17 | align="right" | 3.0 | align="right" | 40 | align="right" | 7.1 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 562 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 555 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 545 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 522 ! style="text-align:right;" | |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="4" | 12 July 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Select-Committee-Chair-Results-2017.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round |- ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis | align="right" | 305 | align="right" | 53.5 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Johnny Mercer | align="right" | 265 | align="right" | 46.5 |- | colspan="2" | ''Not redistributed'' | align="right" | | align="right" | |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 570 ! style="text-align:right;" | |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="6" | 17 June 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/committee-chair-election-results.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round ! colspan="2" | 2nd round |- ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis | align="right" | 260 | align="right" | 44.1 | align="right" | 314 | align="right" | 56.5 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Richard Benyon | align="right" | 208 | align="right" | 35.3 | align="right" | 242 | align="right" | 43.5 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Bob Stewart | align="right" | 121 | align="right" | 20.5 | colspan="4" | ''Eliminated'' |- | colspan="2" | ''Not redistributed'' | align="right" | | align="right" | | align="right" | 33 | align="right" | 5.6 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 589 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 556 ! style="text-align:right;" | |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="16" | 14 May 2014<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/defence/Defence-Committee-chair-election-final-results.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round ! colspan="2" | 2nd round ! colspan="2" | 3rd round ! colspan="2" | 4th round ! colspan="2" | 5th round ! colspan="2" | 6th round ! colspan="2" | 7th round |- ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Rory Stewart | align="right" | 113 | align="right" | 23.6 | align="right" | 115 | align="right" | 24.1 | align="right" | 122 | align="right" | 25.7 | align="right" | 139 | align="right" | 29.3 | align="right" | 149 | align="right" | 31.9 | align="right" | 179 | align="right" | 39.3 | align="right" | 226 | align="right" | 51.6 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis | align="right" | 124 | align="right" | 25.9 | align="right" | 128 | align="right" | 26.8 | align="right" | 131 | align="right" | 27.6 | align="right" | 138 | align="right" | 29.1 | align="right" | 156 | align="right" | 33.4 | align="right" | 165 | align="right" | 36.2 | align="right" | 212 | align="right" | 48.4 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Brazier | align="right" | 68 | align="right" | 14.2 | align="right" | 71 | align="right" | 14.9 | align="right" | 71 | align="right" | 14.9 | align="right" | 77 | align="right" | 16.2 | align="right" | 90 | align="right" | 19.3 | align="right" | 112 | align="right" | 24.6 | colspan="2" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Keith Simpson | align="right" | 48 | align="right" | 10.0 | align="right" | 48 | align="right" | 10.1 | align="right" | 51 | align="right" | 10.7 | align="right" | 61 | align="right" | 12.8 | align="right" | 72 | align="right" | 15.4 | colspan="4" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Bob Stewart | align="right" | 52 | align="right" | 10.9 | align="right" | 54 | align="right" | 11.3 | align="right" | 56 | align="right" | 11.8 | align="right" | 60 | align="right" | 12.6 | colspan="6" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Crispin Blunt | align="right" | 44 | align="right" | 9.2 | align="right" | 44 | align="right" | 9.2 | align="right" | 44 | align="right" | 9.3 | colspan="8" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Tobias Ellwood | align="right" | 17 | align="right" | 3.5 | align="right" | 17 | align="right" | 3.6 | colspan="10" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Gray | align="right" | 13 | align="right" | 2.7 | colspan="12" | ''Eliminated'' |- | colspan="2" | ''Not redistributed'' | align="right" | | align="right" | | align="right" | 2 | align="right" | 0.4 | align="right" | 4 | align="right" | 0.8 | align="right" | 4 | align="right" | 0.8 | align="right" | 12 | align="right" | 2.5 | align="right" | 23 | align="right" | 4.8 | align="right" | 41 | align="right" | 8.6 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 479 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 477 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 475 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 475 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 467 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 456 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 438 ! style="text-align:right;" | |}
{| class="wikitable" style="min-width:250px;" ! colspan="8" | 9 June 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/chair-elections/Committee-Chair-Results.pdf|format=PDF|title=Election for Chairs of Select Committees: Result|website=Parliament.uk|access-date=23 April 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013154827/http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/chair-elections/Committee-Chair-Results.pdf |archive-date=13 October 2010}}</ref> |- ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Candidate ! colspan="2" | 1st round ! colspan="2" | 2nd round ! colspan="2" | 3rd round |- ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Votes ! % |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | James Arbuthnot | align="right" | 210 | align="right" | 36.6 | align="right" | 236 | align="right" | 42.4 | align="right" | 273 | align="right" | 52.7 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Patrick Mercer | align="right" | 176 | align="right" | 30.7 | align="right" | 189 | align="right" | 33.9 | align="right" | 245 | align="right" | 47.3 |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Julian Lewis | align="right" | 115 | align="right" | 20.1 | align="right" | 132 | align="right" | 23.7 | colspan="2" | ''Eliminated'' |- | style="color:inherit;background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | | Douglas Carswell | align="right" | 72 | align="right" | 12.6 | colspan="4" | ''Eliminated'' |- | colspan="2" | ''Not redistributed'' | align="right" | | align="right" | | align="right" | 16 | align="right" | 2.8 | align="right" | 55 | align="right" | 9.6 |- ! style="text-align:left;" colspan="2" | '''Valid votes''' ! style="text-align:right;" | 573 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 557 ! style="text-align:right;" | ! style="text-align:right;" | 518 ! style="text-align:right;" | |}
==See also== *Parliamentary committees of the United Kingdom
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/24/defence-committee/ Official website]
{{UKParliamentCommittees}}
Category:British defence policymaking Category:Parliamentary committees on defence Category:Select committees of the British House of Commons Category:1979 establishments in the United Kingdom