ParliLinc

This research explores the Prime Minister’s appearances at the Liaison Committee. Mark Bennister was awarded a parliamentary fellowship in November 2016 to study these sessions. This study has focused on the functioning and effectiveness of the Liaison Committee sessions with the Prime Minister. These sessions have questioned four Prime Ministers since 2002 and provide a rich source of material relating to the relationship between the Prime Minister and Parliament, aside from appearances on the floor of the House. The research has led to the publication of a co-authored briefing on the Liaison Committee with the House of Commons Library (see here).

In March 2019 written evidence on the Prime Minister’s appearances was published as part of the Liaison Committee’s inquiry into select committee effectiveness.

Mark Bennister was previously awarded £34,000 by the Nuffield Foundation from 2015 to 2016 to research the session( see here). Together with Dr Alix Kelso, University and Dr Phil Larkin, University of Canberra, they published a report, Questioning The Prime Minister: How Effective Is The Liaison Committee? The project draws on academic research, published by the team in the British Journal of Politics and International Relations in 2016.