Part of Care Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:45 pm ar 16 Ionawr 2014.
Liz Kendall
Shadow Minister (Health) (Care and Older People)
4:45,
16 Ionawr 2014
I know the Minister clearly feels passionately about this matter. He is many things, but a mind reader he is not, so for the record I want to say that his assertions about what I think are wide of the mark—he has no idea about that.
Let me go through things in turn. First, on Amendment 104 and a model scheme being available, that is important and I welcome hearing about it. On the point about interest counting towards the cap, it is important for that to be spelt out clearly, not only in the fine print of a consultation document, but in the advice given: councils must be required to tell people that they will be charged interest and how much it could be, so that they can make a decision about the loan.
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.
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.
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.
