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Points of Order
2:37 pm
Murray Tosh (Conservative)
I am grateful to the member for giving me notice of the point of order.
On your first point, the content and accuracy of the policy memorandum is entirely a matter for the Executive, as the first paragraph of the memorandum makes clear. Rule 9.3.3 simply requires that a policy memorandum be provided when a bill is introduced. There is no procedural basis for challenging a bill after it has been introduced on the basis of a perceived inadequacy in the text of an accompanying document. The proper time for questioning those documents is during stage 1. In this case, the stage 1 report on the bill comments on those documents in detail.
On your final point, you are right that the member in charge has the right to move to adjourn stage 3 to a later day or, with notice, to refer back parts of the bill for further consideration in committee. Either motion may be moved only after the amendments on the marshalled list have been disposed of. I have no indication that the minister proposes to move either such motion, but that will be a matter for him to decide at the appropriate time.