Part of Criminal Justice Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:30 pm on 21 January 2003.
Hilary Benn
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office) (Minister for Prisons and Probation)
6:30,
21 January 2003
May I pick up on a phrase that the hon. Gentleman used at the end of his contribution? He talked about people being retried ''as a matter of routine''. We have spent three sittings debating anything but matters of routine. We have been debating—whether or not we all agree—carefully constructed clauses.
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.
