At committee stage, MPs go through the bill in detail. The committee stage usually starts a couple of weeks after second reading.
Most bills are considered by a Public Bill Committee, which is usually made up of 17 MPs. Public Bill Committees can take evidence from the public.
Bills can also be considered by MPs in the Chamber in what’s known as a Committee of the whole House. This usually happens if the Government need to pass a bill quickly or if it’s of constitutional importance.
Sometimes bills can be considered partly by a Public Bill Committee and partly by a Committee of the Whole House. This usually happens with Finance Bills.
In rare cases a Select Committee can be set up to consider a bill, such as the Armed Forces Bill Select Committee. In these cases, the bill is then considered in a Committee of the whole House.