Part of the debate – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:30 pm on 4 February 2003.
John Heppell
Government Whip
2:30,
4 February 2003
I beg to move,
That the Order of the Committee [17 December] be further amended as follows—
(1) in paragraph (6), by leaving out '4.55 pm on Tuesday 4th' and inserting '5. 15 pm on Thursday 6th'; and
(2) by leaving out paragraph (7) and inserting—
(7A) the proceedings on Clause 204, Schedule 11, Clauses 205 to 209, Schedules 12 and 13, Clause 210, Schedule 14, Clauses 211 to 216 (so far as not previously concluded) shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.25 am on Tuesday 11th February 2003;
(7B) the proceedings on Clauses 217 to 219, Schedule 15, Clauses 220 to 242, Schedule 16, Clause 243, Schedule 17, Clause 244, Schedules 18 and 19, Clauses 245 to 248, Schedule 20, Clauses 249 to 251, Schedule 21, Clauses 252 to 257 (so far as not previously concluded) shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.25 am on Thursday 13th February 2003;
(7C) the proceedings on Clause 258, Schedule 22, Clauses 259 to 261, Schedule 23 and Clauses 262 to 264, Clause 35 and Schedule 3 (so far as not previously concluded) shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.25 am on Tuesday 25th February 2003;
(7D) the proceedings on Clauses 49 to 61, Clauses 265 and 266, Schedule 25, Clause 267, Schedule 26, Clause 268, Schedule 24 and Clauses 269 to 273 (so far as not previously concluded) shall be brought to a conclusion at 11.25 am on Thursday 27th February 2003.
The Amendment is made in response to requests by members of the Committee to ensure that adequate time is available for the items being discussed today, and recognising that some future programming allocated too much time. We have tried to rejig the programme, and I think the amendment has the support of all parties. This is in line with what we discussed through the usual channels.
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.
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.
