Skip to main content

Grand committees

Grand committee meetings have become much less frequent since the devolution of powers to the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Scottish Parliament. The Welsh Grand Committee last met in 2022, the Northern Ireland Grand Committee in 2013 and the Scottish Grand Committee in 2003.

If you represent a constituency in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales you’re automatically a member of that nation's grand committee.

Grand committees are a forum for all the MPs who represent a particular nation within the UK to meet and consider matters that relate to that nation. Their meetings can involve debates on topics of interest or bills, questions to ministers, ministerial statements, and half-hour adjournment debates.

You will know when a meeting is planned, because the Government will move a motion in the Chamber asking the House to agree when and where the next meeting will take place, and what business it will include. If the motion is agreed by the House, the grand committee meeting will be listed on the Order Paper under Future Business.

You can speak in English or Welsh at the Welsh Grand Committee. There is simultaneous translation. The Chair may require you to use English to raise points of order.

Grand committees can meet in Westminster or in their respective nations.

If you don’t represent a constituency in the relevant nation, you might still find yourself a member of the Welsh Grand Committee or Northern Ireland Grand Committee if the Committee of Selection nominates you. Only MPs representing constituencies in Scotland can be members of the Scottish Grand Committee.

Grand Committees are chaired by MPs from the Panel of Chairs.

Contact an expert

Contact an expert

Contact: Clerk of Grand Committees, Public Bill Office

  • Phone: x3253
  • Email: pbohoc@parliament.uk