Part of Orders of the Day — Housing (Scotland) Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 2 July 1935.
Duchess of ATHOLL:
I was trying to meet the argument of the Under-Secretary but I have made my point and I am glad to have had the opportunity of doing so. I tried to move Amendments on this point in Committee and on the Report stage, but it was held that such Amendments would increase the charge on public funds and they were ruled out of order. I am very much disappointed that the point has not been given consideration and I would ask the Secretary of State before the Bill is discussed in Another place to consider whether this concession could not be extended to owners in general, many of whom have very small means.
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.
During a debate members of the House of Commons traditionally refer to the House of Lords as 'another place' or 'the other place'.
Peers return the gesture when they speak of the Commons in the same way.
This arcane form of address is something the Labour Government has been reviewing as part of its programme to modernise the Houses of Parliament.
