UK Parliament — House of Commons

A general committee to which a bill or other business has been or stands committed shall meet to consider such business on the day and at the hour named by the Member appointed chair of the committee in respect of that business. If the consideration of the business is not completed at that sitting, and subject to the proviso in paragraph (5) of Standing Order No. 84A (Public bill committees), the committee shall meet further to consider the business on such days of the week and at such times as may be appointed by the committee:

Provided that no general committee shall sit at Westminster, on a day on which the House sits, between the hours of one o'clock and half-past three o'clock in the afternoon on Mondays, between the hours of twenty-five minutes past eleven o'clock in the morning and half-past one o'clock in the afternoon on Tuesdays or Wednesdays or between the hours of twenty-five minutes past nine o'clock in the morning and half-past eleven o'clock in the morning on Thursdays, except as hereinafter provided.

If a general committee to which the proviso to paragraph (1) of this order applies is not previously adjourned, the chair shall adjourn the committee without putting any question at one o'clock, twenty-five minutes past eleven o'clock or twenty-five minutes past nine o'clock, as the case may be, save as provided in Standing Order No. 100 (Scottish Grand Committee (sittings)), Standing Order No. 108 (Welsh Grand Committee (sittings)) and Standing Order No. 116 (Northern Ireland Grand Committee (sittings)): Provided that-

if, in the opinion of the chair, the proceedings on a bill or other business could be brought to a final conclusion by a short extension of the sitting, he may defer adjourning the committee for a quarter of an hour;

if proceedings under Standing Order No. 36 (Closure of debate) be in progress at the time when the chair is required to adjourn the committee under this paragraph, he shall not adjourn the committee until the question for the closure of debate, the question or questions consequent thereon and on any further motion as provided in that Standing Order, have been decided.

Any general committee may sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House.

A standing committee to whom a bill has been committed shall meet to consider that bill on such days of the week (being days on which the House sits) as may be appointed by the standing committee at half-past ten of the clock, unless the committee otherwise determine: Provided that-

the first meeting of a standing committee to consider a bill shall be on a day and at a time to be named by the chairman of the committee;

no standing committee shall sit between the hours of one of the clock and half-past three of the clock.

If a standing committee is not previously adjourned, the chairman shall adjourn the committee without question put at one of the clock: Provided that-

if, in the opinion of the chairman, the proceedings on a bill could be brought to a conclusion by a short extension of the sitting, he may defer adjourning the committee until a quarter past one of the clock;

if proceedings under the standing order " Closure of debate " be in progress at the time when the chairman would be required to adjourn the committee under this paragraph, he shall not adjourn the committee until the questions consequent thereon and on any further motion as provided in that standing order, have been decided.

Government bills referred to a standing committee shall be considered in whatever order the government may decide.