Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister – in the House of Commons at 2:15 pm on 4 November 2009.
Nigel Dodds
Shadow Spokesperson (Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), Without portfolio, Shadow Spokesperson (Justice), Shadow DUP Spokesperson (Without Portfolio)
2:15,
4 November 2009
I welcome the Minister's comments on new Clause 23. I have a couple of brief questions. I should be grateful if he could outline the extent to which there was consultation with the Northern Ireland Court Service and others in the Northern Ireland Office on the matter, given the current debate on the devolution of justice powers in respect of Northern Ireland.
Further to the questions posed earlier by Mr. Heath, can the Minister outline what the measure will mean in relation to those judicial and tribunal officers in Northern Ireland who are not covered? There is an extensive list in new clause 23 but what about the officers not covered? Are any posts in Northern Ireland specifically related to the Province not covered by salary protection provisions?
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.
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.
