House of Lords Select Committees are small groups of peers that are appointed to investigate an issue or an area of government policy.
Normally there are around twelve people on a committee, with no single political party in a majority.
The committee will seek evidence from experts, government representatives and members of the public. They meet regularly to hear evidence and question experts. Although most meetings are public, they may also take place in private if a topic is judged particularly sensitive.
They will then consider this evidence before releasing one or more reports.
The reports will often contain recommendations for the government, but the government is not obliged to make any changes as a result.
You can find more information on Lords Committees on the House of Lords website.