Oral Answers to Questions — Education. – in the House of Commons at on 9 December 1920.
Colonel NEWMAN:
84.asked the President of the Board of Education whether the direction contained in the Education Act, 1918, that the local education authority may, and when required by the Board of Education shall, submit a scheme in accordance with the provisions of the Act will mean the possible over- riding of the declared wishes of county and other elected authorities; and is he prepared to intimate to the House that for a period of not more than three years he is willing that the Act should be amended so as to omit the word "shall"?
Mr. LEWIS:
I think that the local education authorities are amply protected against arbitrary or oppressive action by the Board of Education by Section 5 and Sub-section 5 of Section 44 of the Act, and I see no reason for the Amendment of the Act in this particular.
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.
