Part of Orders of the Day — Civil Defence Bill. – in the House of Commons at on 12 June 1939.
Sir John Anderson
, Combined Scottish Universities
When I said this was a technical drafting point I did not mean that it was unimportant. I thought there was agreement on both sides on this point, but the doubt raised by the hon. and learned Gentleman is as to whether we have in fact agreed; that is the point.
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.
