Part of Extradition Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 2:45 pm ar 16 Ionawr 2003.
Angela Watkinson
Opposition Whip (Commons)
2:45,
16 Ionawr 2003
I am pleased to participate in only one Committee this afternoon, which means that I can pay somewhat better attention to the proceedings. I rise in some trepidation as I am flanked on each side by a lawyer, which I clearly am not. I shall couch my question in layman's terms.
References have been made to the recent murder of a police officer. Is the Bill the appropriate piece of
legislation to ensure additional protection for police officers in the execution of their duties in such circumstances, as well as under the Terrorism Act 2000? I note that Clause 161(9), which we have not yet discussed, states:
''Nothing in this section affects the power conferred by section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000''.
Will the Minister assure us that there is adequate protection, or say whether additional protection is needed in legislation for police officers in the circumstances that we are discussing?
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.
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.
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.
