Catalogue description Cabinet: Home Affairs Committee: Minutes and Papers (HAC and HA Series)

Chronological

The Home Affairs Committee was set up in July 1918 by the Home Secretary, George Cave. Its brief was "to consider all domestic questions which require the co-operation of more than one department, and of such importance that they would otherwise call for consideration of the Cabinet. " Originally the Committee dealt with general administration including aspects of demobilisation, aliens and medical and scientific research. Increasingly however it became the forum in which forthcoming government legislation was examined.

From 1922 to 1939 it met under the chairmanship of the Lord Chancellor, and was attended by most ministers dealing with civil affairs, Law Officers and Parliamentary Counsel. Draft Bills were considered in their final forms and detailed adjustments were made. The Committee then recommended Bills to Cabinet for authority for their introduction in Parliament. Each Bill was given a classification of its relative importance to facilitate government business.

In 1939 it was reconstituted as the Home Policy Committee.