[ information sent to Parliaments about the Standing Committee on Procedure]
1 Procedure Committee
Role
History
Major achievements
Recent inquiries
Current inquiry
Ongoing interests
2 Similar House of Commons committees
Modernisation Committee
Procedure Committee
Role
To inquire into and report on the practices and procedures of the House and its committees. (SO 221)
7 members (4 government; 3 non-government)
History
First established 27 February 1985 . Replaced Standing Orders Committee . Joint Committee on Parliamentary Committee System found in 1976 that the standing orders committees in both Houses were too top-heavy with ex officio appointments (Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Leader of the House, Leader of the Opposition) to find time to achieve results.
Because of the Constitution (sections 49, 50) and because 60 out of 75 original Members had served in colonial legislatures, many of the powers, privileges, practices and procedures were passed on from the House of Commons. During its first half century, procedural reform in the House of Representatives was slow. Temporary standing orders adopted in 1901 were not replaced by permanent standing orders until 1950.
Before the Procedure Committee , the focus of procedural change was on streamlining the operation of government business: gag (1905); speech time limits (1912), guillotine (1918); permanent SOs (1950); new financial procedures (1963).
The Procedure Committee has broadened the scope of procedural reform to include greater opportunities for private Members; the operations of committees and community involvement.
Major achievements
A comprehensive regime for arranging private Members’ business and the consideration of committee and delegation reports (1989).
Establishment of the Main Committee as a parallel debating Chamber to streamline the legislative workload and provide opportunities for private Members (1994).
Measures to enhance the visibility and accessibility of the House to the public through media and other channels (2001).
Complete redrafting and reorganisation of the standing orders (2004).
Recent inquiries
Maintenance of the standing and sessional orders part 1: speeches at the election of Speaker and time of presentation of Explanatory Memorandums [presented 27 March 2006 ].
Procedures relating to House committees including: arrangements for presenting reports; time allocated to committee work in the House and Main Committee ; and attendance at committee meetings by visitors [presented 5 December 2005 ].
A History of the Committee on its 20 th anniversary [presented 28 November 2005 ].
All aspects of media coverageof the House (including proceedings in the House, the Main Committee and committees of the House) [presented 10 October 2005 ].
The application of the standing orders on the anticipation rule [presented 14 March 2005 ].
Current inquiry
Maintenance of the standing and sessional orders including review of sessional orders:
Main Committee meetings on Mondays to consider committee and delegation reports
Order in the Main Committee
Times for Members' statements and adjournment debates in the Main Committee
Times for debates on dissent motions
Ongoing interests include
Improving the status and operations of the Main Committee
Voting procedures
Opportunities for private members
Improving opportunities for scrutinising legislation
Conduct in the House especially at question time
Arrangements for opening of parliament
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