Part of Criminal Justice Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:15 pm ar 4 Chwefror 2003.
Hilary Benn
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Minister for Prisons and Probation)
4:15,
4 Chwefror 2003
Amendment No. 543 will make a small amendment to the definition of a pre-sentence report in the Clause. It will offer greater flexibility for future developments in the way in which pre-sentence reports may be presented. The senior judiciary suggested the change during the consultation process.
In certain circumstances, sentencers would be prepared to receive a report orally, and the probation service advises that the development of the offender assessment system may influence the way in which reports are presented in future.
Amendment No. 544 is consequential on that change and simply makes clear that the provisions of clause 143, which concern the disclosure of pre-sentence reports, would not apply to any pre-sentence report given orally in open court.
Amendment agreed to.
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.
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.
