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Committees of the Scottish Parliament

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Scottish Parliament committees () are small groups of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who meet on a regular basis to scrutinise the work of the Scottish Government, conduct inquiries into subjects within their remit and examine legislation. Much of the everyday work of the Scottish Parliament is done by these committees.

Committees play a more prominent role in the functioning of the Scottish Parliament than in many other comparable parliamentary systems. Partly this is intended to curb executive dominance, partly to empower backbench members as they carry out the work of scrutinising government, partly to encourage public and expert involvement, and partly due to the unicameral nature of the Scottish Parliament, meaning there is no revising chamber.

Some key committees, known as Mandatory committees, are required by the Scottish Parliament's Standing Orders and are established at the beginning of each session and their remits determined by parliamentary rules. Subject committees deal with a particular subject or area. Many of these Subject committees have been in place in one form or another since the formation of the Scottish Parliament, while others are quickly created and disbanded as circumstances require. A third type of committee may also be established to consider particular issues or pieces of legislation, especially private bills that have been submitted to parliament.

Committees usually have between five and ten MSPs as members, who are selected to reflect the balance of the political parties in parliament as a whole. Committee meetings are held in the committee rooms of the Scottish Parliament Building when parliament is sitting. Committees may also choose to meet at other locations throughout Scotland.

Conveners Group

The Conveners Group is not a committee in the ordinary sense, but is a forum where committee conveners meet to discuss the operation of committees and to liaise with other parliamentary bodies. The Conveners Group makes recommendations regarding the scheduling of committee business in the debating chamber and has the authority to allow committee meetings to take place in locations other than the Scottish Parliament Building. The Conveners Group is chaired by the Presiding Officer or their deputy.

Current committees

Mandatory

Mandatory committees are set up under the Scottish Parliament's Standing Orders, which govern their remits and proceedings. Mandatory committees are established at the beginning of each parliamentary session.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions
Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture
Delegated Powers and Law Reform
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice
Finance and Public Administration
Public Audit
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Main article: Scottish Parliament Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Subject

There are six committee rooms in the [[Scottish Parliament Building

Subject committees are formed at the beginning of each parliamentary session. These committees typically correspond with one (or more) of the directorates or ministries of the Scottish Government. Additional Subject committees can be created as the need arises, such as the committee established in 2020 to examine the Scottish Government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.

COVID-19 Recovery
Criminal Justice
Economy and Fair Work
Education, Children and Young People
Health, Social Care and Sport
Local Government, Housing and Planning
Net Zero, Energy and Transport
Rural Affairs and Islands

From February 2023 the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's updated remit is: "To consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands; and on matters relating to rural land use, wildlife crime and animal welfare falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport." The committee convener is Finlay Carson and the deputy convener is Beatrice Wishart.}}

Social Justice and Social Security

Other

Issues not within the scope of the Mandatory or Subject committees, especially the examination of private bills, are considered by separate committees created solely for that purpose. Private bills typically relate to bills where the private interests of a person, group or organisation are the main focus of the bill (as opposed to being generally applicable across Scotland).

Such Private bills have been used to legislate for large-scale development projects such as infrastructure projects that require the use of land or property. Such committees have in the past been set up to consider legislation and issues relating to the development of the Edinburgh Trams, the Glasgow Airport rail link, the Airdrie–Bathgate rail link and extensions to the Scottish National Gallery.

Separate committees have also been established to consider Hybrid bills. These are bill that have both a general application in law across Scotland, but also majorly affect the private interests of a specific person, group or organisation.

Previous committees

First session

Audit
Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill
Education, Culture and Sport
Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Equal Opportunities
European
European and External Relations
Finance
Health and Community Care
Justice and Home Affairs
Justice 1
Justice 2
Local Government
National Galleries of Scotland Bill
Procedures
Public Petitions
Robin Rigg Offshore Wind Farm (Navigation and Fishing) (Scotland) Bill
Rural Affairs
Rural Development
Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Bill
Scottish Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Bill
Social Inclusion, Housing and Voluntary Sector
Social Justice
Standards
Subordinate Legislation
Transport and the Environment

Second session

Adhoc Standards
Airdrie-Bathgate Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
Audit
Baird Trust Reorganisation Bill
Communities
Edinburgh Airport Rail Link Bill
Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill
Edinburgh Tram (Line Two) Bill
Education
Enterprise and Culture
Environment and Rural Development
Equal Opportunities
European and External Relations
Finance
Glasgow Airport Rail Link Bill
Health
Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament Bill
Justice 1
Justice 2
Justice 2 Sub
Local Government and Transport
Procedures
Public Petitions
Standards
Standards and Public Appointments
Stirling - Alloa - Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Bill
Subordinate Legislation
Waverley Railway (Scotland) Bill

Third session

Audit
Economy, Energy and Tourism
Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture
End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill
Equal Opportunities
European and External Relations
Finance
Forth Crossing Bill
Health and Sport
Justice
Local Government and Communities
Procedures
Public Audit
Public Petitions
Review of SPCB Supported Bodies
Rural Affairs and Environment
Scotland Bill
Scottish Parliamentary Pension Bill
Scottish Parliamentary Pension Scheme
Standards and Public Appointments
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments
Subordinate Legislation
Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change
Ure Elder Fund Transfer and Dissolution Bill
William Simpson's Home (Transfer of Property etc.) (Scotland) Bill

Fourth session

Burrell Collection (Lending and Borrowing) (Scotland) Bill
City of Edinburgh Council (Leith Links and Surplus Fire Fund) Bill
City of Edinburgh Council (Portobello Park) Bill
Delegated Powers and Law Reform
Devolution (Further Powers)
Economy, Energy and Tourism
Education and Culture
Equal Opportunities
European and External Relations
Finance
Health and Sport
Infrastructure and Capital Investment
Interests of Members of the Scottish Parliament (Amendment) Bill
Justice
Justice Sub-Committee on Policing
Local Government and Regeneration
National Galleries of Scotland Bill
National Trust for Scotland (Governance etc.) Bill
Pentland Hills Regional Park Boundary Bill
Public Audit
Public Petitions
Referendum (Scotland) Bill
Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment
Scotland Bill
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments
Subordinate Legislation
Welfare Reform

Fifth session

COVID-19
Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints
Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations
Delegated Powers and Law Reform
Economy, Jobs and Fair Work
Edinburgh Bakers' Widows' Fund Bill
Education and Skills
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform
Equalities and Human Rights
Finance and Constitution
Health and Sport
Hutchesons' Hospital Transfer and Dissolution (Scotland) Bill
Justice
Justice Sub-Committee on Policing
Local Government and Communities
Pow of Inchaffray Drainage Commission (Scotland) Bill
Public Audit and Post-legislative Scrutiny
Public Petitions
Rural Economy and Connectivity
Social Security
Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland (Amendment) Bill
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments
Writers to the Signet Dependants' Annuity Fund Amendment (Scotland) Bill

References

. (). ["The role of committees"](https://www.parliament.scot/visitandlearn/Education/18643.aspx). *Scottish Parliament*.
. (). ["Scottish Parliament committees – what are they and what do they do?"](http://www.parliament.scot/PublicInformationdocuments/Committees-EnglishLP18pt-100713.pdf). *Scottish Parliament*.
. (). ["Democracy in Scotland"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zj37hyc/revision/4).
. (). ["Private Bills"](https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/29669.aspx). *Scottish Parliament*.
Buchan, Jamie. (26 November 2019). "NHS Tayside chiefs to be quizzed on finances, leadership and mental health in Perth". The Courier.
"Conveners Group".
Davidson, Jenni. (17 April 2020). "New Scottish Parliament committee to scrutinise Scottish Government response to coronavirus". Holyrood.
"Session 6 COVID19 Recovery Committee".
Scottish Parliament. (31 January 2023). "Motion S6M-07746".

Info: Wikipedia Source

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