Part of Sexual Offences Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 9:45 am ar 18 Medi 2003.
Sandra Gidley
Democratiaid Rhyddfrydol, Romsey
9:45,
18 Medi 2003
I just want to explore the meaning of ''indecent''. Some have advocated the complete removal of the Clause because they think it unworkable. I am not sure that I share that view. Some organisations, such as Liberty, have pointed out that it will be impossible to police the clause. The difficulty is establishing age. It has been suggested that a provocative picture of a teenage girl band—we all know that such things sadly exist—which is innocently aimed at teenage girls, could conceivably fall foul of the clause. I thought that somewhere in the Bill there might be a definition of what would be classified as indecent. I may have simply run out of patience and
got bored, but I could not find one anywhere. Can the Minister clarify where exactly the line between decency and indecency will be drawn?
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.
