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| 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.
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(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.
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(3) A second reading committee shall be a standing committee.
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(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.
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(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.
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(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.
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| 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.
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(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.
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(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.
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(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.
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| 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.
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(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.
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(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.
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| 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.
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(2) The business of the Committee shall include-
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(a) questions tabled in accordance with Standing Order No. 94 (Scottish Grand Committee (questions for oral answer)); |
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(b) short debates held in accordance with Standing Order No. 95 (Scottish Grand Committee (short debates)); |
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(c) ministerial statements proceeded with in accordance with Standing Order No. 96 (Scottish Grand Committee (ministerial statements)); |
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(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)); |
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(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)); |
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(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 |
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(g) motions for the adjournment of the committee made under paragraph (6) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)). |
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(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.
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| Scottish Grand Committee (questions for oral answer). |
94. - (1) Notices of questions for oral answer in the Scottish Grand Committee by Scottish Office ministers or Scottish law officers on a day specified in an order made under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), may be given by members of the committee in the Table Office.
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(2) Notices of questions given under this order shall bear an indication that they are for oral answer in the Scottish Grand Committee.
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(3) No more than one notice of a question may be given under this order by any member of the committee for each day specified under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)) for the taking of questions.
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(4) On any day so specified under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), questions shall be taken at the commencement of the sitting; no question shall be taken later than three-quarters of an hour after the commencement of the proceedings thereon; and replies to questions not reached shall be printed with the official report of the committee's debates for that day.
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(5) Notices of questions under this order may be given ten sitting days before that on which an answer is desired save where otherwise provided by a memorandum under paragraph (8) of Standing Order No. 22 (Notices of questions, motions and amendments):
Provided that when it is proposed that the House shall adjourn for a period of fewer than four days, any day during that period (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) shall be counted as a sitting day for the purposes of the calculation made under this paragraph.
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| Scottish Grand Committee (short debates). |
95. - (1) Notices of subjects to be raised in short debates in the Scottish Grand Committee, on a day specified in an order made under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), may be given by members of the committee in the Table Office.
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(2) Subjects of which notice is given under paragraph (1) of this order must relate to Scotland.
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(3) Not more than one notice of a subject may be given under this order by any member of the committee for each day specified under paragraph (1) of Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)) for the holding of short debates.
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(4) On any day so specified such debates shall be held at the commencement of the sitting or, if the order under paragraph (1) specifies also the taking of questions on that day, immediately after questions.
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(5) |
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(a) No Member except the Minister of the Crown replying to the debate shall be called to speak later than half an hour after the commencement of the first such debate. |
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(b) The Member who gave notice of the subject and the Minister of the Crown replying to the debate may each speak for five minutes. Other Members may speak for three minutes. |
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(c) The chairman may direct any Member who exceeds the limits in sub-paragraph (b) to resume his seat forthwith. |
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(6) Notices of subjects under this order may be given ten sitting days before that on which they are sought to be raised:
Provided that when it is proposed that the House shall adjourn for a period of fewer than four days, any day during that period (other than a Saturday or a Sunday) shall be counted as a sitting day for the purposes of the calculation made under this paragraph.
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| Scottish Grand Committee (ministerial statements). |
96. - (1) The chairman of the Scottish Grand Committee may permit a Minister of the Crown, whether or not a Member of the House, to make a statement, of which prior notice has been given to him, and to answer questions thereon put by members of the committee.
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(2) Ministerial statements may be made for the purpose of-
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(a) facilitating the questioning by members of the committee of the Minister of the Crown about a matter relating to his official responsibilities so far as they relate to Scotland, which, in the case of a Scottish law officer, shall be as provided in the second column of the relevant sub-paragraph of paragraph (2) of Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments), in which case proceedings under this order shall be brought to a conclusion either at an hour appointed by an order of the committee, for which a motion may be made without notice by a member of the government immediately before the commencement of such proceedings, on which motion the question shall be put forthwith, or, if no such motion is made, not later than three-quarters of an hour after their commencement; or |
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(b) announcing the policy of the government on a matter relating to Scotland or the response of the government to an event relating to Scotland, in which case proceedings under this order shall be brought to a conclusion at the discretion of the chairman. |
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(3) Ministerial statements may be made-
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(a) at the commencement of a sitting; or |
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(b) if questions are taken, immediately after the conclusion of proceedings thereon; or |
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(c) if short debates are held, immediately after the conclusion of those proceedings. |
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(4) A Minister of the Crown making a statement under paragraph (1) of this order, who is not a Member of the House, may not do so from the body of the committee; and shall not vote, make any motion or be counted in the quorum.
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