Part of Orders of the Day — Terrorism Bill – in the House of Commons at 6:00 pm on 9 November 2005.
Dominic Grieve
Shadow Attorney General
6:00,
9 November 2005
Because of the procedure involved, the first bite of the cherry will involve getting rid of Government Amendment No. 34, without which nothing more can be done. If we do not succeed in doing that, we shall not be going anywhere anyway.
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.
