Part of Pensions Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:30 pm ar 29 Ionawr 2008.
Andrew Selous
Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
4:30,
29 Ionawr 2008
I beg to move Amendment No. 146, in Clause 35, page 16, line 1, at end insert—
‘(f) a notice under section 72 of the Pensions Act 2004 (c. 35) (provision of information).’.
The amendment was tabled because it appeared that the list of notices to which a review may be applied appears to have left out the notice cited in clause 33(1)(d):
“a notice under section 72 of the Pensions Act 2004...(provision of information).”
I am sure the Minister will tell me there is a very good legal reason for that being left out, but I was curious when I compared clause 33, which sets out a full list of different compliance notices to which escalating penalties apply, with clause 35, in which the notice in clause 33(1)(d) has been left out. I am sure that I am about to be reassured by the Minister, but I thought that the issue was worth raising, as it is certainly not clear to me.
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.
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.
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.
