Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 5 October 1944.
Colonel Alan Gandar-Dower
, Penrith and Cockermouth
12:00,
5 October 1944
In view of that urgency, I do not wish to stand out, but before I withdraw my Amendment, I do want to impress upon the hon. Member for Peckham (Mr. Silkin) that his suggestion that we are trying, by nibbling, to destroy this Bill is entirely without foundation. All we are anxious to do is to avoid, wherever possible, hardship being inflicted which will not vitally affect good planning.
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.
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.
