Part of Justice (Northern Ireland) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 7:15 pm on 12 February 2002.
Patsy Calton
Liberal Democrat, Cheadle
7:15,
12 February 2002
I beg to move Amendment No. 241, in page 60, line 29, at end insert—
'(3A) The Secretary of State shall ensure that each partnership includes elected representatives and persons drawn from relevant statutory agencies and voluntary and community organisations.'.
In his comments on amendment No. 240, the Minister has reassured both me and my hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire that his intention is to consult as widely as possible. It follows that the partnership will include a wide range of partners. I accept the Minister's argument that he is not in a position to establish the shape, and his assurance that he intends the partnership to be as widely drawn from the community as possible.
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.
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.
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.
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.
