Standing Committee (UK)

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Standing Committees of the British House of Commons consider proposed Acts of Parliament. The House of Lords does not have such committees as Bills are usually considered by the House as a whole.

House of Commons standing committees on bills debate and consider public bills at the committee stage. A committee considers each Bill clause by clause and may amend it before reporting back to the House. The composition of the committee is loosely proportional to that of the House itself so it is rare that amendments are accepted that are contrary to the Government's wishes, provided the Government has a parliamentary majority. As the overall purpose of the Bill has been set by its Second Reading in the House Commons, amendments may not change the purpose.