Speaker John Bercow says Parliament must reach out

John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons

Mr Bercow was elected as Commons Speaker in June

House of Commons select committees must be used to reach out to voters disenchanted with politics, Speaker John Bercow has argued.

He said committees - which deal with single topics like education, health and defence - allowed MPs to "look at issues which matter enormously".

People did not simply want to listen to party politics, especially following the expenses scandal, Mr Bercow added.

Select committees are made up of MPs from several parties.

They call witnesses as they scrutinise the policies and activities of Whitehall departments.

'Lively and unpredictable'

In a speech to the Hansard Society, which promotes public engagement in politics, Mr Bercow said: "Select committees have the capacity to draw the sceptical but activist voter back into the Palace of Westminster.

"They have their own style, they are infinitely easier for businesses and organisations to submit their views to, and they instinctively look at issues which matter enormously but do not organise themselves in party political packages.

"It is possible for the public to participate by presenting evidence to these committees directly, which is obviously impossible to do in the chamber itself.

"Those who appear in front of select committees do so in lively and unpredictable exchanges and are not always the 'usual suspects', or in the 'usual places'."

Mr Bercow praised the Treasury select committee for working with business during an inquiry into credit-rating checks.

The environment, food and rural affairs committee had shown an "admirable willingness to take to the road", collecting evidence in Gloucester, Lincoln and Yorkshire.

Mr Bercow said: "We should be advertising the capacity of the public to connect with departmental select committees with maximum vigour."

He also said he planned to set up a Speaker's Advisory Council on Public Engagement, involving public figures with "stellar careers".