On Thursday 4 June 2026, Parliamentary Bureau motions were agreed by the Parliament on the establishment of committees in Session 7.
This short blog provides information on the names and remits of Session 7 committees as well as the size of each and the political party of the convener and deputy convener. There are 16 committees (seven mandatory and nine subject committees).
Membership of committees, meeting days and the name of the Convener and Deputy Convener are matters which are yet to be determined.
A previous SPICe blog on the role of committee conveners and how they are chosen explains the process by which committee Conveners may be elected. Motion S7M-00273 agreed by the Parliament states that election of committee Conveners for all committees will take place on Tuesday 9 June 2026.
Mandatory committees
Some committees of the parliament are mandated by the Parliament’s Standing Orders. These are known as mandatory committees and are:
- Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments
- Finance
- Public Audit
- Equalities and Human Rights
- Public Petitions
- Delegated Powers and Law Reform
- Europe and External Relations.
The remits of mandatory committees are set out in Standing Orders, but the Parliament can add additional matters to a remit. This is provided for in Rule 6.1.5A.
Motion S7M-00269 relates to the establishment of committees, with the following mandatory committees having been agreed by the Parliament.
Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee
The Committee will be made up of five MSPs. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. In addition to its mandatory remit, the Committee will also consider matters falling within the responsibility of the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans (agreed by motion S7M-00270).
Finance and Public Administration Committee
The Committee will have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party. Motion S7M-00270 on the name and remits of mandatory committees, which the Parliament agreed to, means that the Committee will be known as the Finance and Public Administration Committee. The Committee will, in addition, to its mandatory remit, also consider other matters falling within the responsibility of the Scottish Administration relating to the National Performance Framework, public inquiries, and public administration; and proposals for the formation and budgets of officeholders established by the Parliament.
Public Audit Committee
The Committee will have five members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party. In addition to its mandatory remit, the Committee will also consider matters relating to the performance of officeholders established by the Parliament.
Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
The Committee will be a seven-member committee. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Reform UK Party. The name of the Committee was amended (Standing Orders Temporary Rule 4) to Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture. Motion S7M-00268 amends temporary Rule 4 to change the name of the Committee. The motion also adds “any other matter falling within the responsibility of the Scottish Administration relating to devolution, intra-UK and intergovernmental relations” as well as culture to the Committee’s remit. The remit is also amended to reflect that the Committee will consider “policy in relation to the UK’s relationship with the EU” rather than policy in relation to the UK’s exit from the EU.
Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
This will be a seven-member committee, with the Convener a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party. The mandatory committee is Equalities and Human Rights, but the name change was agreed by motion S7M-00270. In addition to its mandatory remit, the Committee will also consider matters relating to civil justice within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice.
Public Petitions Committee
This is to be a five-member committee. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Labour Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party.
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
This is another five-member committee. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party.
Subject committees
Climate Action Committee
The Committee will have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party. The Committee’s remit is “to consider and report on matters within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, with the exception of rural affairs”.
Criminal Justice Committee
This committee will also have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party. The Committee’s remit is “to consider and report on matters relating to criminal justice falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, and functions of the Lord Advocate other than as head of the systems of criminal prosecution and investigation of deaths in Scotland”.
Economy, Tourism and Energy Committee
This is another seven-member committee, with a Convener from Reform UK and a Deputy Convener from Scottish Labour. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, with the exception of transport, on matters relating to public infrastructure, civil contingencies and resilience, and on matters relating to energy and energy consents”.
Education and Gaelic Committee
This committee is seven members with a Convener from the Scottish National Party and a Deputy Convener from the Scottish Labour Party. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic, with the exception of culture, and on matters relating to the Historical Abuse Inquiry, redress and languages”.
Health, Care and Sport Committee
The Committee will have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Reform UK Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, and on matters relating to sport”.
Public Service Reform Committee
The Committee will have seven members with a Convener and Deputy Convener from the Scottish National Party. Its remit will be “to consider and report on matters within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Reform.”
Rural Affairs Committee
The Committee will have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Green Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Party. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs, with the exception of climate action”.
Social Justice, Housing and Local Government Committee
This committee will also have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Reform UK Party. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing, and on matters relating to local government within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.”
Transport Committee
The Committee will have seven members. The Convener will be a member of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Party and the Deputy Convener will be a member of the Scottish National Party. Its remit is “to consider and report on matters relating to transport within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport”.
The graphic below shows the committees, their size and the party of the Convener and Deputy Convener.
A previous SPICe blog explains the make up of the Scottish Government. The portfolios of Cabinet Secretaries and Ministers is available on the Scottish Government website.
Sarah McKay, SPICe research