Committee of the Whole House (United Kingdom)

In the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Committee of the whole House is a committee of the whole of one of the two Houses. ^[1]

In the House of Commons, the Committee of the whole House is used instead of a standing committee for the committee stage (clause-by-clause debate) of constitutional or ethical importance, ^[1] or for contentious bills. ^[2] The Finance Bill is always sent to a Committee of the whole House in the Commons. ^[3] The sitting is presided over by the Chairman of Ways and Means, rather than the Speaker of the House, ^[4] sitting in the clerk's chair (at the Table of the House) ^[1] rather than the Speaker's chair normally occupied by the presiding officer, ^[5] and is addressed as "Chair" instead of "Deputy speaker".

In the House of Lords, the Committee of the whole House examines the majority of bills.

References

1. "Committee of the whole House". UK Parliament – Glossary. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
2. Buchan, Lizzy (13 November 2017). "Theresa May just got to a crucial stage of the Brexit battle that could lead to her downfall". The Independent.
3. "Committee of the Whole House - Glossary page". UK Parliament.
4. "UK Politics - Committee of the whole House". BBC News. 14 August 2008.
5. Eleanor Laing, Chairman of Ways and Means (29 June 2020). "Business and Planning Bill". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . Parliament of the United Kingdom: House of Commons. col. 95.