Part of Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:30 pm ar 27 Tachwedd 2007.
Maria Eagle
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice
4:30,
27 Tachwedd 2007
Does the hon. and learned Gentleman not believe that the defences already available under section 55 of the Data Protection Act are adequate? Is he just making the point about a chilling effect, or is he saying that the defences available are not sufficient to enable journalists to pursue legitimate matters of public interest?
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.
