Part of Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:22 pm on 5 February 2002.
Mr Seamus Mallon
Social Democratic and Labour Party, Newry and Armagh
6:22,
5 February 2002
I beg to move Amendment No. 203, in page 22, line 30, at end insert—
( ) The Director must consult with-
(a) the First Minister and Deputy First Minister;
(b) the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and
(c) any other person appearing to the Director to have an interest in the matter, before finalising, or making alterations to, a code.'.
Amendments Nos. 203 and 204 are linked, and are intended to bring the Bill more closely in line with recommendation 50 of the review group. That included the recommendation that the DPP be required by statute—
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.
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.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
