Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:45 pm on 14 May 2002.
Division number 10
Adults Abused in Childhood — Clause 20 - Transitional provisions: sponsorship
Tim Loughton
Shadow Spokesperson (Health)
I am pleased that we have made it to Clause 20, because I have a lengthy discourse to make about the Embassy world professional darts
championship and the enormous disbenefit that it will be put to under the Bill. I have less than two minutes in which to deliver my discourse, let alone discuss the remaining 10 clauses, amendments and the new clause. However, I shall have a stab at it and see what I can come up with. If I cannot complete my discourse, I have no doubt that we can return to it at length on Report.
Clause 20 is a meaty clause. It is controversial and deals with the transitional provisions of sponsorship that refer specifically to the Government's anointed favourite sport of Formula 1 racing.
It is intended that the Bill will come into force two months after Royal Assent and that its provisions will have an effect on tobacco manufacturers, retailers and so on. A further three months will be allowed before the bringing into force of regulations that govern advertising within retail outlets, impact promotion schemes and certain direct marketing contracts—except for Formula 1 racing.
In Another place, the Minister confirmed that the Government intend to stay with the broad outline of their thinking and that the special provisions of clause 19 should remain available to ''exceptional global events''. They are defined as taking place in at least two continents and three countries, with sponsorship in excess of £2.5 million per annum. All other sponsorship agreements should be banned from an earlier date—that is, 2003. That singles out Formula 1 racing, which is not exactly a sport bereft of cash. Did you know, Mr. Amess, that it is probably the most costly and richest sport in the world? It certainly does not need any assistance from the Bill. There are only 11 Formula 1 teams, each of which has to deposit a $48 million bond to participate in the race.
It being Seven o'clock, The Chairman proceeded, pursuant to Sessional Order D [28 June 2001] and the Order of the Committee [7 May], to put forthwith the Question already proposed from the Chair.
Question accordingly agreed to.
Clause 20 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
The Chairman then proceeded to put forthwith the Questions necessary to dispose of the business to be concluded at that time.
Clauses 11 to 16, 18, 19 and 21 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
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.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
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.
During a debate members of the House of Commons traditionally refer to the House of Lords as 'another place' or 'the other place'.
Peers return the gesture when they speak of the Commons in the same way.
This arcane form of address is something the Labour Government has been reviewing as part of its programme to modernise the Houses of Parliament.
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.
