Standing Orders of the House of Commons

House of Commons

Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 1997- continued

Standing Committees - continued

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Meetings of standing committees     88. - (1) A standing committee to which a bill or other business has been or stands committed shall meet to consider such business on the day and at the hour named by the Member appointed chairman of the committee in respect of that business. If the consideration of the business is not completed at that sitting the committee shall meet further to consider the business on such days of the week (being days on which the House sits) as may be appointed by the committee at half-past ten o'clock, unless the committee otherwise determines:
Provided that no standing committee shall sit between the hours of one o'clock and half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, except as hereinafter provided.

    (2) If a standing committee is not previously adjourned, the chairman shall adjourn the committee without putting any question at one o'clock, save as provided in Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), No. 108 (Welsh Grand Committee (sittings)) and Standing Order No. 116 (Northern Ireland Grand Committee (sittings));
Provided that-

(i) if, in the opinion of the chairman, the proceedings on a bill or other business could be brought to a final conclusion by a short extension of the sitting, he may defer adjourning the committee until a quarter past one o'clock;

(ii) if proceedings under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) be in progress at the time when the chairman is required to adjourn the committee under this paragraph, he shall not adjourn the committee until the question for the closure of debate, the question or questions consequent thereon and on any further motion as provided in that Standing Order, have been decided.

Procedure in standing committees.     89. - (1) Except as provided in Standing Order No. 93 (Scottish Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 102 (Welsh Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 109 (Northern Ireland Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 117 (Standing Committee on Regional Affairs) and Standing Order No. 119 (European Standing Committees) the quorum of a standing committee shall be seventeen or one third of the number of its members excluding the chairman, whichever is the less; and in calculating the quorum fractions shall be counted as one.

    (2) Strangers shall be admitted to a standing committee unless the committee otherwise orders.

    (3)

(a) Any notice of an amendment to a bill which has been committed or referred to a standing committee, or of a motion relative to a European Community document or documents or an amendment thereto given under Standing Order No. 119 (European Standing Committees) shall stand referred to the committee, and the chairman shall have the like powers as are given to the Speaker, the Chairman of Ways and Means and either Deputy Chairman respectively by Standing Order No. 32 (Selection of amendments).

(b) Standing Orders No. 29 (Powers of chair to propose question), No. 36 (Closure of debate) and No. 37 (Majority for closure or for proposal of question) shall apply to standing committees, except that the number necessary to render the majority effective for the closure or for the proposal of the question shall be the number prescribed as the quorum by paragraph (1) of this order.

(c) The chairman of a standing committee shall have the like powers as are given to a chairman of a committee of the whole House under the following Standing Orders:
No. 35 (Dilatory motion in abuse of rules of House),
No. 42 (Irrelevance or repetition), and
No. 68 (Debate on clause or schedule standing part).

(d) The following Standing Orders shall apply to standing committees:
No. 124 (Quorum of select committee),
No. 128 (Entry on minutes of proceedings of select committee), and
No. 129 (Minutes of proceedings to be laid on the Table).

    (4) On a division being called in the House or a committee of the whole House the chairman of a standing committee shall suspend the proceedings of the committee for such time as will, in his opinion, enable Members to vote in the division and return to the committee.

    (5) All standing committees shall have leave to print and circulate their proceedings with the Vote.

Second reading committees     90. - (1) A motion, of which at least ten days' notice has been given, may be made by a Minister of the Crown at the commencement of public business, that a public bill be referred to a second reading committee, and the question thereupon shall be put forthwith; and if, on the question being put, not fewer than twenty Members rise in their places and signify their objection thereto, the Speaker shall declare that the noes have it:
Provided that no such notice shall be given until the bill has been printed and delivered to the Vote Office.

    (2) A motion, of which at least ten days' notice has been given, may with the leave of the House be made by the Member in charge of a private Member's bill at the commencement of public business on any day when private Members' bills have precedence under the provisions of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), that the said bill be referred to a second reading committee, and the question thereupon shall be put forthwith. If such a motion be agreed to, any order that the said bill be read a second time which stands on the paper for that or any subsequent day shall be discharged. No such motion shall be made before the eighth Friday on which private Members' bills have precedence and no such notice shall be given until the bill has been printed and delivered to the Vote Office.

    (3) A second reading committee shall be a standing committee.

    (4) A second reading committee shall report to the House either that it recommends that the bill ought to be read a second time or that it recommends that the bill ought not to be read a second time, and in the latter case it shall have power to state its reasons for so recommending.

    (5) When a second reading committee shall have made a report to the House in respect of a bill referred to it under paragraph (2) above, the bill shall be ordered to be read a second time upon a future day.

    (6) Upon a motion being made for the second reading of a bill reported from a second reading committee, the question thereon shall be put forthwith.

Special standing committees     91. - (1) A special standing committee to which a bill has been committed shall have power, during a period not exceeding 28 days (excluding periods when the House is adjourned for more than two days) from the committal of the bill, to send for persons, papers and records, and, for this purpose, to hold up to four morning sittings of not more than three hours each. At not more than three sittings oral evidence may be given and, unless the committee otherwise orders, all such evidence shall be given in public. Oral evidence shall be printed in the official report of the committees' debates together with such written evidence as the committee may order to be so printed.

Provided that, in the case of bills certified under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 97 (Scottish Grand Committee (bills in relation to their principle)) and committed pursuant to paragraph (5) thereof to a special standing committee, the three sittings at which oral evidence may be given may be held in Scotland, in which case those sittings need not be held in the morning.

    (2) For the sittings referred to in paragraph (1) of this order, and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 85 (Chairmen of standing committees), the Speaker may appoint any Member other than a Minister of the Crown as chairman of a special standing committee.

    (3) Except as provided in the foregoing paragraphs, the standing orders relating to standing committees and Standing Orders No. 127 (Withdrawal of documents before select committee), No. 131 (Entry of questions asked), No. 135 (Witnesses and evidence (select committees)) and No. 136 (Publication of evidence (select committees)) shall apply to any special standing committee.

    (4) The question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown to extend the period of 28 days mentioned in paragraph (1) of this order may be decided after the expiration of the time for opposed business.

Consideration on report of certain bills by a standing committee     92. - (1) A bill which has been considered by a second reading committee or by the Scottish Grand Committee in relation to the principle of the bill may be referred for consideration on report to a standing committee or to the Scottish Grand Committee, as the case may be, upon a motion made after notice by a Minister of the Crown at the commencement of public business, and the question on such motion shall be put forthwith; and if, on the question being put, not fewer than twenty Members rise in their places and signify their objection thereto, the Speaker shall declare that the noes have it.

    (2) A standing committee to consider bills on report shall consist of not fewer than twenty nor more than eighty Members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve on the committee for the consideration of each bill referred to it; and in the nomination of such Members, the Committee of Selection shall have regard to their qualifications and to the composition of the House:
Provided that, for the consideration of all public bills relating exclusively to Wales, the committee shall be so constituted as to include all Members sitting for constituencies in Wales.

    (3) Any committee to which a bill is referred under this order shall report to the House that it has considered the bill and has made amendments or has made no amendment thereunto, as the case may be; and the bill so reported shall be ordered to be read the third time upon a future day.

Scottish Grand Committee (composition and business)     93. - (1) There shall be a standing committee called the Scottish Grand Committee, which shall consist of all Members representing Scottish constituencies; and of which (subject to paragraph (6) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings))) the quorum shall be ten.

    (2) The business of the Committee shall include-

(a) questions tabled in accordance with Standing Order No. 94 (Scottish Grand Committee (questions for oral answer));

(b) short debates held in accordance with Standing Order No. 95 (Scottish Grand Committee (short debates));

(c) ministerial statements proceeded with in accordance with Standing Order No. 96 (Scottish Grand Committee (ministerial statements));

(d) bills referred to it for consideration or further consideration in relation to their principle, in accordance with Standing Order No. 97 (Scottish Grand Committee (bills in relation to their principle));

(e) motions relating to instruments (whether or not in draft) referred to it in accordance with Standing Order No. 98 (Scottish Grand Committee (delegated legislation));

(f) motions for the adjournment of the committee, notice of which has been given in accordance with Standing Order No. 99 (Scottish Grand Committee (substantive motions for the adjournment)); and

(g) motions for the adjournment of the committee made under paragraph (6) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)).

    (3) Any Minister of the Crown, being a Member of the House, though not a member of the committee, may take part in the deliberations of the committee and may make a motion, but shall not vote or be counted in the quorum.

Standing Orders of the House of Commons - Public Business 1997- continued
Standing Committees - continued
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Meetings of standing committees	88. - (1) A standing committee to which a bill or other business has been or stands committed shall meet to consider such business on the day and at the hour named by the Member appointed chairman of the committee in respect of that business. If the consideration of the business is not completed at that sitting the committee shall meet further to consider the business on such days of the week (being days on which the House sits) as may be appointed by the committee at half-past ten o'clock, unless the committee otherwise determines: Provided that no standing committee shall sit between the hours of one o'clock and half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, except as hereinafter provided.
	(2) If a standing committee is not previously adjourned, the chairman shall adjourn the committee without putting any question at one o'clock, save as provided in Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), No. 108 (Welsh Grand Committee (sittings)) and Standing Order No. 116 (Northern Ireland Grand Committee (sittings)); Provided that-
	(i) if, in the opinion of the chairman, the proceedings on a bill or other business could be brought to a final conclusion by a short extension of the sitting, he may defer adjourning the committee until a quarter past one o'clock;
	(ii) if proceedings under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) be in progress at the time when the chairman is required to adjourn the committee under this paragraph, he shall not adjourn the committee until the question for the closure of debate, the question or questions consequent thereon and on any further motion as provided in that Standing Order, have been decided.
Procedure in standing committees.	89. - (1) Except as provided in Standing Order No. 93 (Scottish Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 102 (Welsh Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 109 (Northern Ireland Grand Committee (composition and business)), Standing Order No. 117 (Standing Committee on Regional Affairs) and Standing Order No. 119 (European Standing Committees) the quorum of a standing committee shall be seventeen or one third of the number of its members excluding the chairman, whichever is the less; and in calculating the quorum fractions shall be counted as one.
	(2) Strangers shall be admitted to a standing committee unless the committee otherwise orders.
	(3)
	(a) Any notice of an amendment to a bill which has been committed or referred to a standing committee, or of a motion relative to a European Community document or documents or an amendment thereto given under Standing Order No. 119 (European Standing Committees) shall stand referred to the committee, and the chairman shall have the like powers as are given to the Speaker, the Chairman of Ways and Means and either Deputy Chairman respectively by Standing Order No. 32 (Selection of amendments).
	(b) Standing Orders No. 29 (Powers of chair to propose question), No. 36 (Closure of debate) and No. 37 (Majority for closure or for proposal of question) shall apply to standing committees, except that the number necessary to render the majority effective for the closure or for the proposal of the question shall be the number prescribed as the quorum by paragraph (1) of this order.
	(c) The chairman of a standing committee shall have the like powers as are given to a chairman of a committee of the whole House under the following Standing Orders: No. 35 (Dilatory motion in abuse of rules of House), No. 42 (Irrelevance or repetition), and No. 68 (Debate on clause or schedule standing part).
	(d) The following Standing Orders shall apply to standing committees: No. 124 (Quorum of select committee), No. 128 (Entry on minutes of proceedings of select committee), and No. 129 (Minutes of proceedings to be laid on the Table).
	(4) On a division being called in the House or a committee of the whole House the chairman of a standing committee shall suspend the proceedings of the committee for such time as will, in his opinion, enable Members to vote in the division and return to the committee.
	(5) All standing committees shall have leave to print and circulate their proceedings with the Vote.
Second reading committees	90. - (1) A motion, of which at least ten days' notice has been given, may be made by a Minister of the Crown at the commencement of public business, that a public bill be referred to a second reading committee, and the question thereupon shall be put forthwith; and if, on the question being put, not fewer than twenty Members rise in their places and signify their objection thereto, the Speaker shall declare that the noes have it: Provided that no such notice shall be given until the bill has been printed and delivered to the Vote Office.
	(2) A motion, of which at least ten days' notice has been given, may with the leave of the House be made by the Member in charge of a private Member's bill at the commencement of public business on any day when private Members' bills have precedence under the provisions of Standing Order No. 14 (Arrangement of public business), that the said bill be referred to a second reading committee, and the question thereupon shall be put forthwith. If such a motion be agreed to, any order that the said bill be read a second time which stands on the paper for that or any subsequent day shall be discharged. No such motion shall be made before the eighth Friday on which private Members' bills have precedence and no such notice shall be given until the bill has been printed and delivered to the Vote Office.
	(3) A second reading committee shall be a standing committee.
	(4) A second reading committee shall report to the House either that it recommends that the bill ought to be read a second time or that it recommends that the bill ought not to be read a second time, and in the latter case it shall have power to state its reasons for so recommending.
	(5) When a second reading committee shall have made a report to the House in respect of a bill referred to it under paragraph (2) above, the bill shall be ordered to be read a second time upon a future day.
	(6) Upon a motion being made for the second reading of a bill reported from a second reading committee, the question thereon shall be put forthwith.
Special standing committees	91. - (1) A special standing committee to which a bill has been committed shall have power, during a period not exceeding 28 days (excluding periods when the House is adjourned for more than two days) from the committal of the bill, to send for persons, papers and records, and, for this purpose, to hold up to four morning sittings of not more than three hours each. At not more than three sittings oral evidence may be given and, unless the committee otherwise orders, all such evidence shall be given in public. Oral evidence shall be printed in the official report of the committees' debates together with such written evidence as the committee may order to be so printed.
	Provided that, in the case of bills certified under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 97 (Scottish Grand Committee (bills in relation to their principle)) and committed pursuant to paragraph (5) thereof to a special standing committee, the three sittings at which oral evidence may be given may be held in Scotland, in which case those sittings need not be held in the morning.
	(2) For the sittings referred to in paragraph (1) of this order, and notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 85 (Chairmen of standing committees), the Speaker may appoint any Member other than a Minister of the Crown as chairman of a special standing committee.
	(3) Except as provided in the foregoing paragraphs, the standing orders relating to standing committees and Standing Orders No. 127 (Withdrawal of documents before select committee), No. 131 (Entry of questions asked), No. 135 (Witnesses and evidence (select committees)) and No. 136 (Publication of evidence (select committees)) shall apply to any special standing committee.
	(4) The question on any motion made by a Minister of the Crown to extend the period of 28 days mentioned in paragraph (1) of this order may be decided after the expiration of the time for opposed business.
Consideration on report of certain bills by a standing committee	92. - (1) A bill which has been considered by a second reading committee or by the Scottish Grand Committee in relation to the principle of the bill may be referred for consideration on report to a standing committee or to the Scottish Grand Committee, as the case may be, upon a motion made after notice by a Minister of the Crown at the commencement of public business, and the question on such motion shall be put forthwith; and if, on the question being put, not fewer than twenty Members rise in their places and signify their objection thereto, the Speaker shall declare that the noes have it.
	(2) A standing committee to consider bills on report shall consist of not fewer than twenty nor more than eighty Members, to be nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve on the committee for the consideration of each bill referred to it; and in the nomination of such Members, the Committee of Selection shall have regard to their qualifications and to the composition of the House: Provided that, for the consideration of all public bills relating exclusively to Wales, the committee shall be so constituted as to include all Members sitting for constituencies in Wales.
	(3) Any committee to which a bill is referred under this order shall report to the House that it has considered the bill and has made amendments or has made no amendment thereunto, as the case may be; and the bill so reported shall be ordered to be read the third time upon a future day.
Scottish Grand Committee (composition and business)	93. - (1) There shall be a standing committee called the Scottish Grand Committee, which shall consist of all Members representing Scottish constituencies; and of which (subject to paragraph (6) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings))) the quorum shall be ten.
	(2) The business of the Committee shall include-
	(a) questions tabled in accordance with Standing Order No. 94 (Scottish Grand Committee (questions for oral answer));
	(b) short debates held in accordance with Standing Order No. 95 (Scottish Grand Committee (short debates));
	(c) ministerial statements proceeded with in accordance with Standing Order No. 96 (Scottish Grand Committee (ministerial statements));
	(d) bills referred to it for consideration or further consideration in relation to their principle, in accordance with Standing Order No. 97 (Scottish Grand Committee (bills in relation to their principle));
	(e) motions relating to instruments (whether or not in draft) referred to it in accordance with Standing Order No. 98 (Scottish Grand Committee (delegated legislation));
	(f) motions for the adjournment of the committee, notice of which has been given in accordance with Standing Order No. 99 (Scottish Grand Committee (substantive motions for the adjournment)); and
	(g) motions for the adjournment of the committee made under paragraph (6) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)).
	(3) Any Minister of the Crown, being a Member of the House, though not a member of the committee, may take part in the deliberations of the committee and may make a motion, but shall not vote or be counted in the quorum.