Part of Ways and Means. – in the House of Commons at on 1 October 1941.
Mr George Garro-Jones
, Aberdeen North
Whatever difficulties there may be in proving that a fee or reward was received or is to be given it is certain that there will be many more difficulties in proving that a fee or reward was not received. But that is not all that the poor defendant has to prove. He has to prove that he is not even expected to receive a fee or reward. On the Second Reading I quoted one of the oldest tags, one which we learned in our earliest years, namely, that the thoughts of man are not triable, for the Devil himself could not know the thoughts of man; but here we are insisting that the poor defendant shall be compelled to prove what his thoughts were.
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.
The Second Reading is the most important stage for a Bill. It is when the main purpose of a Bill is discussed and voted on. If the Bill passes it moves on to the Committee Stage. Further information can be obtained from factsheet L1 on the UK Parliament website.
