Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

Good news for those of us suffering election withdrawal symptoms since last month's General Election.

MPs vote this week to elect three deputy Speakers and the chairs of Commons select committees.

This is heady stuff for . Normally these issues are decided behind closed doors. This time the committee chairs will be chosen by the alternative vote system.

Two Welsh MPs - and - are standing for two big committees, Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Affairs and Business, Innovation and Skills respectively.

In the blue corner, keen and Monmouth Tory MP is so far the only candidate nominated to chair the Welsh Affairs committee.

Montgomeryshire newboy has come under pressure to stand but appears reluctant to mount a campaign.

David Davies has been nominated by three Welsh Tory MPs, but no Welsh MPs from opposition parties or indeed past members of the committee.

Mr Davies sat on the during the last Parliament but attended only five of the 44 meetings it held last year, barely 11%. He was also a member of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Affairs Committee, whose meetings often clashed with the Welsh ones.

If he wins the chair this time, he'll have to improve his attendance rate. New rules mean that MPs who fail to attend 60% of meetings could be voted off.

UPDATE: If elected, David Davies tells me he will play no part in any campaign during a referendum on Assembly powers, as he believes the committee chair should show some independence. He'll still vote against giving the Assembly more powers, but won't join the "No" campaign.

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