Part of Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 5:30 pm ar 23 Hydref 2007.
Edward Garnier
Shadow Minister (Justice)
5:30,
23 Hydref 2007
As we discovered from Sir Nicholas this morning, you or who whoever sits in that Chair is always right, Mr. O’Hara. Whether you are right as a Member of Parliament or not is neither here nor there.
Let us try to get the Bill right, let us try to make it work and ensure that it is adequately managed and adequately resourced, and that it is implemented at the right time—not too early, before things are ready to go, but equally not too late, before other problems arise. That is my plea; let us hope that the Government listen to it. I beg to ask leave to withdraw the Amendment.
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.
A Member of Parliament (MP) is elected by a particular area or constituency in Britain to represent them in the House of Commons. MPs divide their time between their constituency and the Houses of Parliament in London. Once elected it is an MP's job to represent all the people in his or her constituency. An MP can ask Government Ministers questions, speak about issues in the House of Commons and consider and propose new laws.
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.
