David Crausby

The House of Commons Defence Select Committee helps promote debate, raise awareness and provides a certain degree of accountability in regards to defence issues facing the government today. There are currently 14 members of the committee, all MPs, including a Chairman (James Arbuthnot MP). I am the Vice-Chairman.

It holds weekly committee sessions (hearings) where MoD officials, members of industry and defence experts give evidence before the committee on current defence issues in order to help the government make better decisions. In the past, such topics have included; the Defence Industrial Strategy, the UK's Strategic Nuclear Deterrent and sessions on specific cases, such as Afghanistan.

The committee does not make decisions relating to government itself, but does play an important role in informing and influencing those decisions. Inquiries are usually held over several weeks, with the committee creating a report on each issue.

Public sessions (where evidence is heard before the committee) of the committee are usually held Tuesday mornings. Private sessions are often undertaken also, to discuss draft reports created and decide future business of the committee. Members also carry out visits to the 'front line' on occasion, to observe industry or meet soldiers and civilians at the cutting edge of defence matters. Past visits include those to Iraq and Afghanistan, and the committee sometimes travels to abroad to meet with the defence officials and representatives of other nations.

I am also a member of the Quadripartite Committee on Strategic Export Controls. Quadripartite Committees are set up so that members of a number of committees can discuss together issues which cross over into all their subject areas.