In 1946, the standing committees on military and naval affairs combined to become the Armed Services Committee.

NEWYORKER: The Force

Beginning in 1822, congressional oversight was handled by two standing committees: one for the Army, the other for the Navy.

NEWYORKER: The Force

Since January 2007, when public bill committees replaced standing committees, parliamentarians have also been able to receive written evidence and call witnesses to testify on the detail of legislation they are examining.

BBC: Committee stage

But Public Bill Committees (they used, misleadingly, to be called Standing Committees) are now allowed to call in witnesses - and the evidence given across two intensive days this week was sometimes quite riveting - both for content and for drama.

BBC: Trench warfare

In addition to the standing drug safety and arthritis committees, the FDA called in a third group of experts specifically for this meeting.

FORBES: Pfizer And Merck Face The Jury

In a point of order yesterday, Labour procedure wonk Chris Bryant obtained confirmation that joint committees operate under Lords standing orders, which means that the committee chair will have both a vote in their own right and a casting vote - which could give the government point of view more clout in deciding its conclusions.

BBC: Who judges?

Also leaving Esperance is controversial president Slim Chiboub, who is standing for election to both the Caf and Fifa executive committees later this month.

BBC: Esperance of Tunisia have sacked their coach