– in the House of Lords at 10:56 pm on 16 September 2003.
Bill returned from the Commons on 15th September with certain amendments disagreed to with reasons for such disagreement; with an amendment agreed to with amendments and with consequential amendments to the Bill; and with the remaining amendments agreed to; the Commons amendments and reasons were printed pursuant to Standing Order 51.
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.
