– in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 15 May 1980.
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
Order. We cannot pursue that now. It just disappeared. We can deal only with what is on the Notice Paper. We cannot have an argument now about the disappearance of a Clause. There will be an opportunity when we discuss new clause 6—
Alan Beith
Opposition Whip (Commons)
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
Order. I am surprised at the hon. Gentleman. When we discuss new Clause 6, there will be an opportunity for reference to be made to the disappearance of new clause 1. We must discuss the business that is on the Notice Paper. There is no point of order for me to rule on.
Mr Stan Orme
, Salford West
On a further point of order, Mr. Speaker. When I entered the House this morning, I obtained a copy of the selection list. It appeared that new Clause 1 had been selected by yourself, Mr. Speaker. When I read the Notice Paper, it appeared that new clause 1 had been removed. Later in the day, Mr. Speaker, you issued a new selection list. I think that we are entitled to ask you what happened in the meantime.
A large number of amendments were selected that were linked to new clause 1. Those amendments and other new clauses have fallen because the Government have removed new clause 1. I feel that the House is entitled to a statement on new clause 6 on the lines of the one that was leaked to the press last night. It seems that the Government do not have the courage to make that statement to the House.
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
I issued a provisional selection last night when new Clause 1 was on the Notice Paper. When I saw this morning that the new clause was not on the Notice Paper, I had to issue another provisional selection list. I could not select new clause 1, as it was not on the Notice Paper. Therefore, I have selected new clause 2. It was straightforward. I deal with the Notice Paper as it is produced. The Notice Paper yesterday was different from today's Notice Paper.
Mr Stan Orme
, Salford West
I accept, Mr. Speaker, that you were put in an obvious difficulty. When you saw today's Notice Paper you had to make a fresh selection. However, this is not a technicality. This involves a major piece of Government policy. I realise that you are not responsible for that, Mr. Speaker, but the Secretary of State for Social Services has dealt with the House in a cavalier manner that is outrageous. It is not sufficient for the Minister of State to deal with the matter when we come to new Clause 6. We shall not co-operate on that basis.
Alan Beith
Opposition Whip (Commons)
I hope, Mr. Speaker, that you will be sympathetic to hon. Members who find themselves in genuine difficulty. I presume that yesterday's printing arrangements were affected by outside events. The printing of amendments yesterday was not quite perfect. We had reason to wonder whether we had a complete set of amendments in front of us. The marshalled list of amendments today did not contain new Clause 1 and the provisional selection list which you had issued did. I do not think that you should be surprised that many of us thought that new clause 1 was still before us, or that the Government still intended to move it. When I rose at the beginning of these proceedings, all that I was seeking was a simple one-phrase indication from the Government that it was not their intention to move the new clause and that its disappearance was no accident but their deliberate intention.
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
I think that I owe the hon. Gentleman an apology for the volume with which I responded to him earlier. The hon. Gentleman was on his feet at the same time as myself and I thought that I would let him hear the message that I was trying to convey.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Central Fife
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
Secondly, I have no doubt that hon. Members will wish to comment on the disappearance of the new Clause. This is not the time to do that. No doubt the opportunity will come and they will be able to do so.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Central Fife
Are you telling the House, Mr. Speaker, that in the debate on new Clause 6, we shall be able to range much more widely as a consequence of the Government's removal of new clause 1? If so, I think that the House will be satisfied. New clause 6 refers to charges. If the debate is to be enlarged and we are able to refer to charges other than those specified in new clause 6, that will meet the requirements of the House.
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
I do not want to commit myself. I indicated that there could be side references. The new Clause deals with charges and the partially-sighted. New clause 1 dealt with something very similar. It will be better to consider the scope of the debate when we come to it.
Mr Willie Hamilton
, Central Fife
New Clause 1, which has been withdrawn, included a schedule referring to dental charges. As I understand it, the schedule will fall. Therefore, we shall not have an opportunity to cross-examine the Government on why the charges are being dropped, although we are glad that they are. We should like an explanation from the Government of why they are being dropped and whether they intend to reintroduce them at a later stage.
Mr George Thomas
, Cardiff West
The hon. Gentleman has helped me a great deal. If new Clause 1 was as wide as he says, it is clear that it will not be covered by new clause 6. We cannot have a debate on dental charges when new clause 6 is before the House. We must keep within the rules of order, although I know that hon. Members want to make their observations. They will have to find some other way of doing so.
Mr Stan Orme
, Salford West
Futher to the point of order raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton), Mr. Speaker. We are put in a serious dilemma because new Clause 1 referred to dental charges as well as sight testing. We understand from the Government's leak that they will drop the sight-testing charges but will return on some future date to dental charges. The way in which the Government are operating is denying the Opposition a fair chance to debate the issue.
As you rightly say, Mr. Speaker, new clause 6 deals with the partially-sighted. You could, Mr. Speaker, stretch a point to allow us to bring in sight testing for the non-disabled. However, I agree that to bring in dental charges would not be in order while discussing new clause 6. The Leader of the House and the Secretary of State are in the Chamber, and we are entitled to a statement from the Government that will clarify their policy. They should not treat the House in this cavalier manner.
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.
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 Speaker is an MP who has been elected to act as Chairman during debates in the House of Commons. He or she is responsible for ensuring that the rules laid down by the House for the carrying out of its business are observed. It is the Speaker who calls MPs to speak, and maintains order in the House. He or she acts as the House's representative in its relations with outside bodies and the other elements of Parliament such as the Lords and the Monarch. The Speaker is also responsible for protecting the interests of minorities in the House. He or she must ensure that the holders of an opinion, however unpopular, are allowed to put across their view without undue obstruction. It is also the Speaker who reprimands, on behalf of the House, an MP brought to the Bar of the House. In the case of disobedience the Speaker can 'name' an MP which results in their suspension from the House for a period. The Speaker must be impartial in all matters. He or she is elected by MPs in the House of Commons but then ceases to be involved in party politics. All sides in the House rely on the Speaker's disinterest. Even after retirement a former Speaker will not take part in political issues. Taking on the office means losing close contact with old colleagues and keeping apart from all groups and interests, even avoiding using the House of Commons dining rooms or bars. The Speaker continues as a Member of Parliament dealing with constituent's letters and problems. By tradition other candidates from the major parties do not contest the Speaker's seat at a General Election. The Speakership dates back to 1377 when Sir Thomas Hungerford was appointed to the role. The title Speaker comes from the fact that the Speaker was the official spokesman of the House of Commons to the Monarch. In the early years of the office, several Speakers suffered violent deaths when they presented unwelcome news to the King. Further information can be obtained from factsheet M2 on the UK Parliament website.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
