Modern Slavery Bill – in a Public Bill Committee am 4:00 pm ar 9 Medi 2014.
David Hanson
Shadow Minister (Home Affairs)
I will be extremely brief. We have had a full discussion on guidance being published one month after the Bill attaining Royal Assent, so I do not intend to develop that further. The guidance that is outlined in Clause 32(3) states:
“The Secretary of State must arrange for any guidance issued or revised under this section to be published in a way the Secretary of State considers appropriate.”
I tabled the Amendment because it is appropriate that the Secretary of State publishes the guidance in both Houses of Parliament, as well as issuing it to the chief of police, director-general of the National Crime Agency and immigration officers. It is important that she inform the House what the guidance is, given that we are passing the legislation. I want to fetter the Secretary of State’s discretion somewhat. Instead of the Government saying that they consider guidance appropriate, would they publish it for those officers and in both Houses of Parliament so that it is formally known?
Karen Bradley
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his comments. Like him, I will not repeat our earlier discussion regarding the time frame within which the guidance will be published. Instead, I shall direct my remarks to Amendment 86, which deals with where the guidance will be published. I assure the Committee that the document will be made public, and we will ensure that it is widely available on the Government website and easily available to everybody. Therefore, I do not feel that there is a need to dictate that is also published in both Houses of Parliament, as it will be available to any member of the public who wishes to see it. I therefore hope that the right hon. Gentleman is happy to withdraw his amendment.
David Hanson
Shadow Minister (Home Affairs)
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.
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.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
David Crausby
Llafur, Bolton North East