08 July 2005
Edward Leigh looks set to be re-appointed as the chair of the influential Commons' Public Accounts Committee.
Leigh is one of five Conservative MPs nominated to sit on the 15-strong committee. Parliamentary convention dictates that the chair goes to an opposition member and Westminster insiders strongly predict Leigh will keep his job.
The post will be confirmed at the first meeting of the PAC in the new Parliament which could be on July 14, a day after the members of all Commons' committees are rubber-stamped by the House.
Other Tories on the PAC will include David Curry, Angela Browning and Richard Bacon, who were all on the committee before the election.
Greg Clark, recently elected as MP for Tunbridge Wells, is a new member. He was previously the Tories' director of policy.
Labour members expected to be appointed include the veteran Alan Williams.
Leigh, the MP for Gainsborough, described the post as one of 'the top 20-30 jobs in Parliament'. He told PF: 'I think it's certainly the best committee chairmanship. The committee is recognised as being the most effective, as it has the National Audit Office behind it.
'It is more like being a minister of state or in the shadow Cabinet.'
Leigh was appointed chair in October 2001, taking over from David Davis, now a contender for the Tory leadership. Under Leigh's stewardship the committee has highlighted problems in the government's privatisation of the National Air Traffic Services and revealed a £1bn cost to the taxpayer to set up the Tube public- private partnership.
Selection of the Commons' committees has not been without incident. Party leaders have a big say on who sits on which committee and the government was accused of packing the committee that will scrutinise the controversial ID cards proposal with ultra-loyal backbenchers.
One Labour MP, Graham Allen, has suggested a system whereby MPs elect the committees.
Allen, if he gets enough support from other MPs, could put down an amendment in the House emphasising that the committees belong to Parliament and ensuring members are elected by secret ballot.
PFjul2005
