Part of Extradition Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:15 am on 14 January 2003.
Mr Nick Hawkins
Conservative, Surrey Heath
10:15,
14 January 2003
I beg to move Amendment No. 115, in
Clause 29, page 12, line 6, at end insert—
'(c) and the circumstances of the case are exceptional.'.
I can be brief. We felt that it would be helpful to add an exceptional circumstances provision. At the moment, subsection (3) simply says:
''The conditions are that—
(a) the judge ought to have decided the relevant question differently;
(b) if he had decided the question in the way he ought to have done, he would not have been required to order the person's discharge.''
The amendment would add:
''(c) and the circumstances of the case are exceptional.''
The amendment goes in a slightly different direction from some of our other amendments, and in some ways it could be seen as a toughening-up measure. We are simply probing at this stage, and it will be interesting to hear the Minister's comments. Once again we are not saying that our wording is absolutely perfect; we are just interested to test whether the Minister feels that it would be helpful to add the phrase.
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.
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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.
