Orders of the Day — ALLOTMENTS BILL [Lords]. – in the House of Commons am ar 28 Gorffennaf 1922.
For the purpose of removing doubts it is hereby declared that the occupier of any land used as allotments shall be assessed to the general district rate in an urban district or to a separate rate levied in respect of special expenses within the meaning of The Public Health Act, 1875, in a rural district, in the proportion of one-fourth part only of the net annual value or rateable value of such land.
Mr John Whitley
, Halifax
With regard to this new Clause, it does not appear to me to be in order. It is superfluous. I understand that it is being moved for the purpose of removing doubts. It is not in order to move an Amendment which changes the burden of the rates. It seems to me that the Clause must have that effect, or else be superfluous.
Sir Francis Acland
, Camborne
It is, in a sense, superfluous, in this way that it does exactly in the ipsissima verba state what the law is at present. It is interesting, when working in connection with Allotment Societies, to notice how very little the law with regard to rating is understood, and this Amendment is an exact quotation from a very little known Act—I have only one copy of it and I am continually sending it to these Societies—and it seems to me to be legitimate when dealing with an Allotments Bill that the existing law should be set out clearly with regard to rating. I think the Minister of Agriculture ought to give some consideration to this point for the purpose of removing doubts. For these reasons I thought it was legitimate to endeavour to get this new Clause inserted in the Bill.
Mr John Whitley
, Halifax
It seems to me rather difficult to have the same Clause in two Acts of Parliament at the same time.
Sir A. BOSCAWEN:
I suggest that this new Clause is not really necessary. It merely declares what is the existing law, and, as regards removing doubts, my Department will circulate a leaflet making it perfectly clear how these allotment gardens are to be rated for these purposes.
Mr John Whitley
, Halifax
That makes it clear. We cannot insert a Clause which already exists in another Statute.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
