Oral Answers to Questions — Communities and Local Government – in the House of Commons at 7:00 pm on 3 June 2013.
Amendments made: 62, page 9, line 2, leave out ‘obligations’ and insert ‘its liabilities’.
Amendment 63, page 9, line 4, leave out ‘obligations’ and insert ‘its liabilities’.
Amendment 64, page 9, line 4, at end insert—
‘(2A) In making provision by virtue of subsection (1) the Secretary of State must have regard to the principle that sums should be apportioned in proportion to the amounts which are owed.’.—(Michael Fallon.)
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.
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.
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.
