Part of European Parliament (Representation) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:00 am on 14 January 2003.
Bill Cash
Shadow Attorney General
10:00,
14 January 2003
My hon. Friend's point concerning the Leader of the Opposition is right, but we shall get into deep water if we compare governors with deputy lieutenants. It is important to focus on the important aspect of the relationship between a governor and the Government in the United Kingdom and his constitutional role to understand the reasons why consultation with him under the Bill is unnecessary and could produce unsatisfactory results. The avenues exist and they can be left to existing constitutional arrangements. It is much more important that the Chief Minister and the leader of the Opposition should be consulted.
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.
The "Leader of the Opposition" is head of "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". This position is taken by the Leader of the party with the 2nd largest number of MPs in the Commons.
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.
The Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
