Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at on 15 June 1933.
Mr Charles Williams
, Torquay
I would like to ask one question. We are here dealing with very complicated questions of Scottish law which raise possibilities of financial considerations. The question I wish to put is, who is going to pay the cost of the production of these additional copies? Provided it concerns the parties themselves, I have no objection whatever to the provision which my hon. and learned Friend is going to carry out, but, in order to safeguard the position of the taxpayer, I do wish for an assurance that there is no possibility of any increased cost of administration in his office which might swell the size of his office, and so bear on the taxpayer. I think it is the primary duty of Members of this Parliament to be very careful of these matters. I would, therefore, ask him that question, which, I feel sure, he will be able to answer.
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.
