Home Energy Conservation Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 8:00 pm on 26 February 2002.
'For section 346B of the Housing Act 1985 there is substituted—
''346B Model schemes and confirmation of schemes
(1) The Secretary of State may prepare a model registration scheme, with or without special control provisions (see section 348B).
(2) A registration scheme which—
(a) conforms to the model scheme, or
(b) does not conform to the model scheme by reason only of containing provisions of a description prescribed by regulations made by the Secretary of State, does not require confirmation by the Secretary of State and comes into force on such date (at least one month, but not more than three months, after the making of the scheme) as may be specified in the scheme.
(3) If—
(a) a registration scheme varies a previous registration scheme, and
(b) the scheme as varied falls within subsection (2)(a) or (b), the registration scheme making the variation does not require confirmation by the Secretary of State and comes into force on such date (at least one month, but not more than three months, after the making of the scheme) as may be specified in the scheme.
(4) Any other registration scheme does not come into force unless confirmed by the Secretary of State.
(5) The Secretary of State may vary a scheme before confirming it.
(6) A scheme requiring confirmation comes into force one month after it is confirmed.
(7) If the Secretary of State varies or withdraws the model registration scheme, the registration scheme made by a local housing authority is revoked at the end of the relevant period unless during that period—
(a) the scheme is revoked by another registration scheme made by the authority,
(b) the scheme is varied so as to fall within subsection (2)(a) or (b), or
(c) the scheme is re-confirmed by the Secretary of State or the authority make a registration scheme varying the scheme which is confirmed by him.
(8) The relevant period is the period of six months beginning with the day on which the Secretary of State varies or withdraws the model registration scheme.
(9) Any power to make regulations under this section is exercisable by statutory instrument subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.''.'—[Mr. Meacher.]
Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
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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.
