Part of Equine Welfare (Ragwort Control) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:45 am on 15 May 2003.
John Greenway
Conservative, Ryedale
9:45,
15 May 2003
I thank you, Mr. Illsley, and the Committee for attending today and for the help and support that everyone has provided. The ownership and use of horses and ponies in a variety of leisure pursuits makes a significant contribution to the prosperity of thousands of rural communities—and not just those represented by Conservative Members, as the membership of this Committee shows. Ragwort poisoning presents a formidable obstacle to the continuing success of that trend. I believe that
Parliament must act to deal with the problem and that the Bill, as amended today, gives Parliament the chance to meet that challenge.
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.
