Adoption and Children Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:00 pm ar 17 Ionawr 2002.
'In section 65 of the Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978 (interpretation), for subsection (2) there is substituted—
''(2) In this Act, ''overseas adoption'' means an adoption of a description specified by an order made by the Scottish Ministers.
(2A) The description specified by an order under subsection (2) shall be a description of adoptions of children which—
(a) appear to the Scottish Ministers to be effected under the law of any country or territory outside the British Islands;
(b) are not Convention adoptions; and
(c) meet any requirements prescribed by regulations made by the Scottish Ministers.
(2B) In subsection (2A), ''children'' includes persons who were children at the time the adoption was applied for.
(2C) An order under subsection (2) may contain provision as to the manner in which evidence of any overseas adoption may be given.
(2D) Any reference in this Act to an overseas adoption includes a reference to an adoption—
(a) of such description as is specified in an order made, or having effect as if made, under subsection (2) before the coming into force of section [Amendment of Adoption (Scotland) Act 1978: overseas adoptions] of the Adoption and Children Act 2002; and
(b) effected before the coming into force of that section.''.'—[Jacqui Smith.]
Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.
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.
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.
