THE SCOTTISH Affairs committee at Westminster is taking requests from the public on which issues it should explore in a new inquiry. 

An attempt to tackle the "top-down" culture in Parliament, it follows a similar exercise in 2017 when more than 130 proposals were made to the committee.

Then, digital connectivity was selected by MPs to form the basis of a full inquiry, which reported the following year.

What do you think Scottish Affairs Committee should be exploring this Parliament?

Ideas should be submitted to the committee through an online form on its website by August 31, with some members of the public being invited to present to MPs later in the year.

The committee looks at matters that are reserved to Westminster and not those that are the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament.

Scottish Affairs Committee chairman Pete Wishart said: "Too often inquiries are top-down - MPs in Westminster deciding what policies will be scrutinised.

READ MORE: Scottish Affairs Committee: Anger at Tory-heavy make-up of group

"While there's space for this, it sometimes overlooks the immediate concerns of those on the ground suffering the consequences of policy gaps.

"We want you to help create an inquiry on subjects that mean a lot to you.

"What do you think Scottish Affairs Committee should be exploring this Parliament?"

He added: "Whatever walk of life you're from we want your expertise or experiences put to the committee.

"Each and every person's insight and perspective is unique, and we are eager to see what the best ideas are for us to take forward."

Suggestions of possible topics could include areas of UK Government legislation that are not working for Scotland and how they could be improved, or the effectiveness and possible improvements that could be made to the Scotland Office.

The Scottish Affairs Committee came under heavy fire earlier in the year after it was revealed that the committee would be made up of five Tory MPs, two Labour MPs, one LibDem MP and three SNP MPs.

The committee was blasted as unrepresentative of Scotland, which has six Tory MPs, 48 SNP MPs, and just one Labour MP.