Orders of the Day — Pensions (Governors of Dominions, etc.) Bill.

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 11 March 1929.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr William Kelly Mr William Kelly , Rochdale

I hope we shall have a word or two from the Secretary of State in regard to a Measure upon which many questions have been asked. I am somewhat surprised that those hon. Members who have taken a strong exception to Departments of State issuing orders in regard to other Bills have not raised the same objection to the Secretary of State for the Dominions issuing orders, as he is permitted to do under Clause 3. When we have asked that some regard should be had to the position of those people who are lower paid in regard to the question of making pensions retrospective, we have had great difficulty in securing any concession from the Government, but under this Measure they are quite prepared to admit the principle that this Bill has been in operation since the 9th March, 1922, in respect to the pensions of Dominion Governors and other officials who may be brought under its operation by an order of the Colonial Office. I think the Government should have some regard to those in their service who are lower paid.

Secretary of State

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.

Clause

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.

Bills

A proposal for new legislation that is debated by Parliament.