Part of Export Control Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 11:00 am on 18 October 2001.
Gerald Howarth
Conservative, Aldershot
11:00,
18 October 2001
The hon. Gentleman is most courteous for giving way, given that I have not been at the proceedings until now, for which I apologise. My hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury knows why I could not be here.
The Minister referred to curbing the abuses. He is giving the public the message that the measure tackles the abuse of defence exporting by British companies and individuals. Before the summer recess, I challenged him to give us some examples of where such abuse was taking place. It is not sufficient to give the impression that abuses are taking place without specifying where that is happening.
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.
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