A private bill is sent to an opposed bill committee for its committee stage if any organisations or people who are directly affected by the bill have opposed it by petitioning against it.
The Committee of Selection appoints four MPs without personal or constituency interests in the bill to the committee. An opposed bill committee acts in a quasi-judicial capacity (in other words, it considers matters more like a court), which means that if you’re appointed to one there are more formal requirements on you than there are when you’re appointed to a public bill committee.
If you’re appointed to an opposed bill committee you will need to:
- sign a declaration that you have no local or other interest in the bill and that you won’t vote without considering the evidence
- declare that you recognise your obligation to attend every meeting
- attend every meeting (because of their quasi-judicial nature, the House may impose penalties if you don’t)
The Private Bill Office will be in touch with you to explain the process in more detail.
An opposed bill committee will:
- listen to the arguments of the promotors and the petitioners, and any witnesses they call (petitioners and witnesses are examined on oath; promoters are usually represented by counsel and petitioners may also choose to do this)
- decide whether any amendments proposed by the promoters are suitable and any further amendments are needed
- decide if the promotors have proved the general case for the bill (the 'preamble')
At the end of its consideration, an opposed bill committee can:
- approve the bill as it stands
- approve the bill with amendments, or with undertakings from the promoters
- make a special report to the House
- decide that the need for the bill is not proven (in which case the bill can’t proceed any further)
The number of committee meetings depends on the complexity of the bill and the level of opposition. If there are only one or two petitioners, the committee’s meeting may only last for a day. But if there are lots of petitioners, meetings may take place over a week or more.
An opposed bill committee can meet away from Westminster to hear all or part of the evidence, if the House passes a resolution allowing it to do this.