Extradition Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:45 pm on 14 January 2003.
Mr Nick Hawkins
Conservative, Surrey Heath
As the Committee can see, we tabled amendments Nos. 155 and 156, but they were not selected for debate. They match what we sought to achieve for the similar provision in part 1. The same protections that we argued for in the counterpart provisions of part 1 should apply to these provisions. I hope that it is appropriate to say that in general terms, without debating unselected amendments. The Minister should be aware that that reinforces our concerns about the need to protect people by showing them warrants in a language that they can understand.
Edward O'Hara
Labour, Knowsley South
Order. It is not that the amendments have not been selected, but that they have already been debated.
Mr Nick Hawkins
Conservative, Surrey Heath
I was trying to check the previous list to establish whether we covered them. I must have been looking at an incomplete list.
Edward O'Hara
Labour, Knowsley South
We debated them with Amendment No. 50.
Mr Nick Hawkins
Conservative, Surrey Heath
I tried to check it before I stood up to speak, but I obviously did not look at the right piece of paper.
Edward O'Hara
Labour, Knowsley South
It is not the most important of arguments between us.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 71 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clause 72 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
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.
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.
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.
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.
