Committee of Privileges

Remit and powers of the Committee of Privileges

The remit and powers of the Committee of Privileges are set out in Standing Order No 148A.

The Committee is appointed to “consider specific matters relating to privileges referred to it by the House”.

The Committee has the power to appoint sub-committees. Both the Committee and its sub-committees have the usual select committee powers “to send for persons, papers and records”; to sit while the House is adjourned and to appoint specialist advisers. Like the Committee on Standards, it has the explicit power to appoint legal advisers.

The Committee also has the power “to order the attendance of any Member before the committee and to require that specific documents or records in the possession of a Member relating to its inquiries be laid before the committee or any sub-committee”.

Matters referred to the Committee of Privileges

The Committee of Privileges currently has three matters before it.

• On 21 April 2022, the House referred the question of whether the Prime Minister (Boris Johnson) had misled the House through his statements on gatherings at Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown, to the Committee of Privileges.

  • The Committee of Privileges issued a call for evidence on the matter on 30 June 2022. 

  • The Committee has published a set of frequently asked questions relating to its remit, process and this inquiry:

• On 29 November 2022, the House referred the actions and subsequent conduct of the honourable Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (John Nicolson) to the Committee. This was in relation to correspondence from the Speaker on a matter of privilege.

  • On 23 November 2022, the Speaker made a statement noting that correspondence regarding privileges matters should remain confidential. Mr Nicolson had written to the Speaker asking to make a complaint of a breach of privilege. After the Speaker declined the application, Mr Nicolson had given “a partial and biased account” of the Speaker’s reply. The Speaker said, in his statement, he was awaiting an apology from Mr Nicolson.

• In June 2022, the Committee reported on select committees and contempt (PDF) and received a response from the Government in October 2022 (PDF).