Part of Civil Partnership Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 2:45 pm ar 21 Hydref 2004.
Jacqui Smith
Minister of State (Industry and the Regions and Deputy Minister for Women), Department of Trade and Industry, Minister of State (Industry and the Regions) and Deputy Minister (Women)
2:45,
21 Hydref 2004
Let us be clear. The criticisms that my hon. Friend are making, as he has been honest about, are criticisms equally of civil marriage. That might well be a discussion for another time, but we must be realistic about what would happen if someone did have a Gerard Manley Hopkins poem. I have to say that, having studied him at A-level, I cannot think of many Hopkins poems that I would necessarily want at a celebration. However—
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.
