– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 1 February 1954.
Mr John Edwards
, Brighouse and Spenborough
The Parliamentary Secretary will remember that when we discussed the Bill on Second Reading, my right hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough, East (Mr. Marquand) raised questions relating to Clause 2 (2). Perhaps he will be kind enough to give me some interpretation of the words "practical requirements" and "brought to the knowledge of the Corporation." I hope the latter words do not exclude the possibility of the Corporation's bringing a matter to its own knowledge through its staff encountering points which they consider come within the subsection. I should be grateful for an explanation.
Mr Henry Strauss
, Norwich South
Under Clause 2 (2) the industry must have "practical requirements" but no special method is laid down by which these must come to the knowledge of the Corporation. It is not intended by the Measure to give the Corporation general powers to undertake surveys or investigations to discover the practical needs of industry. That can best be done by industry itself, although perhaps with the help and encouragement of Departments, and possibly with the help and at the suggestion of the Corporation.
Once such an investigation has established that an industry would benefit—if, for example, a machine or a piece of plant would be capable of carrying out certain specified operations and there was a reasonable prospect of producing such a machine or plant—the powers to be given to the Corporation will enable them to step in and to take the responsibility for getting the research done. I believe that that is what right hon. Gentlemen had in mind, and I hope that with that explanation they will be content with the Clause.
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.
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.
