Clause 418 - Meaning of insolvency practitioner

Proceeds of Crime Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 7:00 pm on 29 January 2002.

Alert me about debates like this

Mr. Ainsworth rose—

Photo of Mr George Foulkes Mr George Foulkes Minister of State, Scottish Office, Minister of State (Scotland Office)

I beg to move Amendment No. 600, in page 243, line 29, after 'receiver' insert—

'or the Accountant in Bankruptcy'

Photo of Mr Nick Hawkins Mr Nick Hawkins Conservative, Surrey Heath

Which Minister is the ventriloquist and which is the dummy?

Photo of Mr George Foulkes Mr George Foulkes Minister of State, Scottish Office, Minister of State (Scotland Office)

I do not think that you are quite as old as me, Mr. Gale, but you may remember Peter Brough and Archie Andrews.

Photo of Roger Gale Roger Gale Vice-Chair, Conservative Party

I do not remember them, but I have heard of them.

Photo of Mr George Foulkes Mr George Foulkes Minister of State, Scottish Office, Minister of State (Scotland Office)

Hon. Members should find out what Archie Andrews looks like, and then look at the hon. Member for Surrey Heath. They will see a remarkable resemblance.

Clause 418 defines what is meant by the term ''insolvency practitioner''. Subsection (4)(b) makes reference to section 388(5) of the Insolvency Act 1986 and its reference to the official receiver. That subsection of the 1986 Act also refers to the Scottish equivalent of the official receiver, the accountant in bankruptcy, and Amendment No. 600 is designed to make that clear.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause 418, as amended, ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Clause 419 ordered to stand part of the Bill.

Further consideration adjourned.—[Mrs. McGuire.]

Adjourned accordingly at nine minutes past Seven o'clock till Thursday 31 January at quarter-past Nine o'clock.

Clause

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.

amendment

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.

Minister

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.