Part of Finance Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 2:00 pm ar 11 Mehefin 2009.
Brian Jenkins
Llafur, Tamworth
2:00,
11 Mehefin 2009
I will not take much time, because I know that Members want to pursue the Bill as rapidly as possible, but I want some clarification from the Minister, because I would be worried if I thought that we were taking a step back.
There are employees in this country who work in hazardous conditions, which might require the employer to work with them and their trade union to ensure that they have one medical check a year. I seek assurance from the Minister that there is no way we are going to stop or financially impede the opportunity to take that check, depending upon the type of work the employee undertakes. I would of course like all employees in any company to be treated equally, and if an employer wants to undertake an annual medical check, all their employees should be treated the same, but for individuals working in hazardous conditions, we should ensure that we will put nothing in the way of checks occurring more frequently than once a year.
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 group of workers who have united to promote their common interests.
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.
