– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 24 November 1947.
Ordered:
That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders Nos. 46 and 47, Part II of the Local Government Bill committed [19th November] to a Standing Committee, shall be separated from the other provisions of the Bill and shall be considered by the Standing Committee on Scottish Bills; and that when the provisions committed to the Standing Committee on Scottish Bills and the provisions committed to the other Standing Committee to which the remainder of the Bill shall have been committed, have been reported to the House, the Report stage of the Bill shall be proceeded with as if the Bill had been reported to the House as a whole."—[Mr. H. Morrison.]
In a normal session there are up to ten standing committees on bills. Each has a chair and from 16 to 50 members. Standing committee members on bills are appointed afresh for each new bill by the Committee of Selection which is required to take account of the composition of the House of Commons (ie. party proportions) as well as the qualification of members to be nominated. The committees are chaired by a member of the Chairmen's Panel (whose members are appointed by the Speaker). In standing committees the Chairman has much the same function as the Speaker in the House of Commons. Like the Speaker, a chairman votes only in the event of a tie, and then usually in accordance with precedent. The committees consider each bill clause by clause and may make amendments. There are no standing committees in the House of Lords.
A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.
