Part of Enterprise Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 11:30 am on 7 May 2002.
Andrew Lansley
Conservative, South Cambridgeshire
11:30,
7 May 2002
We seem to be touching on the technical point that arose under Clause 133, and it is precisely what I am concerned about. If there were a national security consideration and it had no competition effects, surely the Secretary of State would want to retain a reserve power and take some remedy through a market investigation to deal with the relevant public interest effect. Unlike some of our other arguments, I acknowledge that a public interest may need to be protected. If no competition effect arises, the Secretary of State has no power to determine the public interest consideration.
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.
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.
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.
