Orders of the Day — Local Government (Development and Finance) (Scotland Bill – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 26 June 1964.
Mr Alexander Hendry
, Aberdeenshire West
12:00,
26 June 1964
I beg to move, in page 2, line 22, after "countryside" to insert (i).
I suggest that it would be for the convenience of the House to consider with this Amendment those in lines 23, 24, 39 and 42.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
If the House so pleases.
Mr Alexander Hendry
, Aberdeenshire West
These Amendments are in fulfilment of a number of undertakings which I gave to the Standing Committee to introduce various powers for local authorities which were suggested by hon. Members on both sides of the Committee. I think that they will improve the Bill.
Mr Alexander Hendry
, Aberdeenshire West
I beg to move, in page 2, to leave out line 40.
I suggest that it would be for the convenience of the House to consider with this Amendment those in page 3, line 17, in page 4, line 15, in page 5, line 2, in page 10, line 34, and in page 11, line 24.
Sir Harry Hylton-Foster
, Cities of London and Westminster
If the House so pleases.
Mr Alexander Hendry
, Aberdeenshire West
The purpose of these Amendments is to give effect to suggestions made in Committee about the local authorities on whom the Bill was to confer powers. The first purpose is to add the combined county councils of Moray and Nairn and Perth and Kinross to the authorities having power under the Bill. This is a drafting provision, because when the Bill was originally drafted it was not observed that these were combined county councils and so not covered by the original drafting. This is particularly required for the financial provisions of the Bill.
The second purpose is to reflect the splitting of the Bill into three separate parts. That was not done in the original drafting, but it was found very convenient to do that after certain new Clauses had been added. I understand that the splitting of the Bill does not entail any Amendment, but is done simply by printing. However, it will greatly convenience local authorities administering the Bill.
It is proposed to leave out a number of references to district councils as such. The reason is that it has been found convenient to introduce district councils as local authorities in respect of certain parts of the Bill. The only substantive effect of all this will be to include district councils; as local authorities for the purposes of the Bill under what is now Clause 1. These provisions have been widely welcomed by local authorities generally throughout Scotland.
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.
In a normal session there are up to ten standing committees on bills. Each has a chair and from 16 to 50 members. Standing committee members on bills are appointed afresh for each new bill by the Committee of Selection which is required to take account of the composition of the House of Commons (ie. party proportions) as well as the qualification of members to be nominated. The committees are chaired by a member of the Chairmen's Panel (whose members are appointed by the Speaker). In standing committees the Chairman has much the same function as the Speaker in the House of Commons. Like the Speaker, a chairman votes only in the event of a tie, and then usually in accordance with precedent. The committees consider each bill clause by clause and may make amendments. There are no standing committees in the House of Lords.
