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
In other Committees on which I have served, where there is vagueness such as this the Government have usually said that they will produce guidelines so that the judge knows what is going on and can direct a jury. We seem to have a complete absence of that here. Perhaps we could have a current set of guidelines to take account of what is thought in 2003. Is that not a workable suggestion for the Government?
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.
