Which Bills were historically sent to select committees?

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Only five Bills have historically been referred to select committees since independence, including the 1974 and 1984 measures
Historically, only five Bills have been committed to select committees since independence, with the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Bill in 1974 and the Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) (Amendment) Bill in 1984 highlighted as examples. The wider explanation is that Bills are usually resolved into the Committee of the Whole House at the end of the Second Reading, while referral to an ad hoc Select Committee is rare and requires a motion after the Second Reading.
The 1974 and 1984 Bills named as select committee referrals since independence
The Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Bill was referred to a Select Committee in 1974. The Dangerous Drugs (Special Preventive Measures) (Amendment) Bill was referred to a Select Committee in 1984. These two Bills are specifically cited as part of the small number of referrals since independence.
The 1961 Minor Offences (Amendment) Bill is described as the earlier select committee case
The Minor Offences (Amendment) Bill of 1961 was referred to a Select Committee. It is described as a short Bill, “almost two pages in length”, and the issue involved compensation for people injured by dog-bites, tied to the assumption that dogs bite postmen.
The IPCMC Bill 2019 is described as an exception to the longstanding rarity
When the Independent Police Complaints of Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) Bill 2019 was referred to the Select Committee, it was presented as perhaps only the sixth such Bill since independence. This point is made to underline how infrequent select committee referrals have been historically.
The statement contrasts select committees with PSSC referrals in later years
More recently, Bills have been referred to the PSSC rather than a Select Committee, including the Control of Tobacco Product and Smoking Bill 2022 (Generational End Game (GEG) Bill) and several Bills in 2026. The Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026, the Admiralty Jurisdiction Bill 2026, the Freedom of Information Bill 2026, and the Prison (Amendment) Bill 2026 are all listed as referred to the PSSC. This contrast is used to frame how unusual select committee referrals have been historically.

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Which Bills were historically sent to select committees?

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