Adoption and Children Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:00 pm on 21 November 2001.
After Adoption welcomes the Adoption and Children bill but is clear that there is a need for the bill to address gaps and confusion about responsibilities which exists at present. We are happy that the government has introduced this bill in a consultative way and hope that we will be able to present to the Special Standing Committee our particular experiences that may help improve the detail of the bill. We hope that this committee will afford us the opportunity to represent our users who are all parties to adoption in Introduction to After Adoption.
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.
