| 释义 |
Grand Committee
1. Any of the three committees of the House of Commons involved with matters relating to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Grand Committee consists of the 72 members representing Scottish constituencies. A Bill certified by the Speaker as relating exclusively to Scotland may by standing orders of the House be referred to the Committee for its second reading, and the Committee also debates other purely Scottish matters. The Welsh Grand Committee, which consists of the 40 members representing Welsh constituencies and up to 5 others, is purely deliberative. It considers matters relating exclusively to Wales but is not empowered to undertake second readings. The Northern Ireland Grand Committee consists of all 18 sitting Northern Irish members and up to 25 others. It debates matters relating exclusively to Northern Ireland. 2. In the House of Lords, a committee convened to discuss any bill not committed to a Committee of the whole House. Any member of the House may sit on the committee. The only difference from a Committee of the whole House is that no votes are taken; any changes to the bill must be agreed unanimously. |