My first Publication Mojatu Nottingham Magazine M030 | Page 25

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Arts & Culture
25
Your Voice Matters: How Your Experience Can Provide
Evidence for a UK Government Select Committee.
Photograph from Your Voice
Matters party material, distributed
under Creative Commons
Attribution-Share 3.0 Unported
Licence
Citizens can expect local MPs to communicate their
stance on a series of matters and community interests
within Parliament. You can contact your MP by email,
post or book a brief meeting. However, due to busy
schedules, timed meetings are often very short and
requests to speak to an MP are usually a last resort
in matters where members of the community have
complaints relating to government services.
Did you know that there are plenty of other ways to add
your voice and experiences for Parliament members
to consider and discuss? The House of Commons
Select Committees are cross party groups elected by
fellow MPs to hold inquiries that examine features of
government spending, policies and administration
systems. There are over 18 different sets of Committees
within both houses of parliament. Members of the
African Diasporia should definitely consider sharing
their experiences, opinions and solutions during Select
Committee inquiries.
What Is a Select Committee Inquiry?
Different groups discuss various aspects of
government action. This may be in committees such
as Public Accounts or Human Rights. In 2018 alone,
the International Development Select Committee
launched inquiries on refugees or victims of forced
displacement in Africa, climate change and sexual
exploitation by aid workers in developing countries.
The most recent inquiry is a joint effort with the Kenyan
government and International Disability Alliance to
investigate disability inclusion within the Global South.
When an inquiry is made public, members of society
are asked to send no more than 3000 words of input,
experiences and suggested solutions for an inquiry.
The guidelines for written submissions can be found
on the link to whatever inquiry inspires you to respond.
Anybody can be a witness; we cannot simply leave
the evidence process for academic experts and elites.
This mainly results in a top down input where the
citizens themselves do not share in the process of
holding departments to account. For example, the
2018 inquiry on forced displaced in Africa asked a
series of questions investigating how the International
Development department could improve service and
impact for displaced people in Africa. Here are some
of the questions asked: Does DFID give sufficient
priority to displacement-related issues, and to internal
displacement? DFID has been supporting efforts to
tackle the root causes of displacement in Africa and
to prevent human trafficking and smuggling; how
effective has this been?
Committees can also inquire on national matters.
For example, last year, the Transport Committee held
inquiries on rail timetable changes and on the state of
local roads. The Justice Committee is currently holding
an inquiry on UK Court and Tribunal Reforms; even the
Women and Equalities committee is currently asking
for evidence and witnesses on the current mental
health state of men and boys in the UK. Do you have
experience or solutions you would like to share? Your
voice matters in any discussions that have to do with
public good and policy. Imagine it as you would a
mosaic- these are pieces of art which stand alone as a
colour yet when put together, there is a bigger picture
and every small square contributes to it.
Consequences and Aftermath
The good news is that any testimony and evidence
given is subject to parliamentary protection. No
action may come off it except in cases of open trials
or active threats. The not so good news is that witness
accounts are published and available to the public
and action groups though confidentiality may be
discussed. In some cases, certain submissions are
invited for further oral evidence and testimony. You
may also witness these testimonies on parliamemt.
tv or attend a session of interest to you as the oral
evidence chapter is open to the public. Although it is
not guaranteed that submissions result to immediate
change, your testimony and experience can be used
for further public movements and reforms of public
policy. Some choose to contribute their voices through
writing, social media posts, volunteering, voting and
joining campaigns and that is all valid. However, so
is adding your thoughts and solutions for committee
considerations. So, the next time you ask yourself what
more your life experience could offer, remember that
inquiries are always open and your voice matters.