Part of Orders of the Day — Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 April 1948.
Mr Henry Berry
, Woolwich West
12:00,
23 April 1948
This Amendment will go a long way towards meeting the fears of local authorities that they might find it difficult to resist applications of the type to which the Parliamentary Secretary has referred. There has been a long discussion on this matter, and I think that the Amendment will give general satisfaction and will be welcomed by the local authorities.
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.
