UK House of Commons

Rule History

Date Change Text
03 April 1862 Made

66   Public Accounts

That there shall be a Standing Committee, to be designated "The Committee of Public Accounts," for the examination of the Accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the Public Expenditure, to consist of Nine Members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every Session, and of whom Five shall be a Quorum.

28 March 1870 Amended

66   Public Accounts

That there shall be a Standing Committee, to be designated "The Committee of Public Accounts," for the examination of the Accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the Public Expenditure, to consist of Eleven Members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every Session, and of whom Five shall be a Quorum.

01 December 1902 Amended

75   Public Accounts / Standing committee on public accounts

There shall be a standing committee, to be designated "the committee of public accounts," for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by parliament to meet the public expenditure, to consist of eleven members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum.

14 November 1933 Amended

74   Public Accounts / Committee of public accounts

There shall be a committee, to be designated "the committee of public accounts," for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by parliament to meet the public expenditure, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

15 November 1934 Amended

74   Public Accounts / Committee of public accounts

There shall be a committee, to be designated "the committee of public accounts," for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The Committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

28 July 1948 Amended

90   Public Accounts / Committee of public accounts

There shall be a select committee, to be designated the committee of public accounts, for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

06 December 1951 Amended

90   Public Accounts / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee, to be designated the Committee of Public Accounts, for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

08 March 1971 Amended

86   Public Accounts / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee, to be called the Committee of Public Accounts, for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

24 February 1976 Amended

86   Public Accounts / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, and to report from time to time.

02 February 1977 Amended

86   Public Accounts / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom five shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

02 July 1979 Amended

86   Public Accounts / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen members, who shall be nominated at the commencement of every session, and of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

30 March 1983 Amended

98   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen Members, of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

18 July 1991 Amended

122   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen Members, of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

The committee shall have power to communicate to any committee appointed under Standing Order No. 130 (Select committees related to government departments) such evidence as it may have received from the National Audit Office (having been agreed between that Office and the government department or departments concerned) but which has not been reported to the House.

20 March 1997 Amended

148   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than fifteen Members, of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

The committee shall have power to communicate to any committee appointed under Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) such evidence as it may have received from the National Audit Office (having been agreed between that Office and the government department or departments concerned) but which has not been reported to the House.

28 October 1997 Amended

148   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than sixteen Members, of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

The committee shall have power to communicate to any committee appointed under Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) such evidence as it may have received from the National Audit Office (having been agreed between that Office and the government department or departments concerned) but which has not been reported to the House.

17 November 1998 Amended

148   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than sixteen Members, of whom four shall be a quorum. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

The committee shall have power to communicate to any committee appointed under Standing Order No. 152 (Select committees related to government departments) and to the European Scrutiny Committee such evidence as it may have received from the National Audit Office (having been agreed between that Office and the government department or departments concerned) but which has not been reported to the House.

The Committee shall have power to meet concurrently with the European Scrutiny Committee, or any Sub-Committee thereof, for the purposes of deliberating or taking evidence.

05 July 2001 Amended

148   Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than sixteen members. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to report from time to time, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.

02 December 2010 Amended

148   Nomination of Select Committees / Committee of Public Accounts

There shall be a select committee to be called the Committee of Public Accounts for the examination of the accounts showing the appropriation of the sums granted by Parliament to meet the public expenditure, and of such other accounts laid before Parliament as the committee may think fit, to consist of not more than sixteen members. The committee shall have power to send for persons, papers and records, to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of the House, to report from time to time, to appoint specialist advisers either to supply information which is not readily available or to elucidate matters of complexity within the committee's order of reference, and to adjourn from place to place.

Unless the House otherwise orders, each Member nominated to the committee shall continue to be a member of it for the remainder of the Parliament.