High Hedges (No. 2) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:00 pm on 7 May 2003.
Steve Pound
Labour, Ealing North
On the one hand, I am grateful for the dispatch with which we are proceeding, on the other I am getting a tad breathless. Clause 9 describes the powers of the appeal authorities—that is, the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales—in determining appeals. Under the clause they may allow or dismiss appeals either in total or in part and they may quash or vary remedial notices; this is remarkably permissive legislation. They may also issue such notices in cases in which the local authority has decided not to do so.
Tony McNulty
Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Briefly, not least to allow my hon. Friend to draw breath, I shall make two points on clauses 8 and 9 which may be of concern to hon. Members. First, the Government consider that the initial local authority decision, together with the appeal process and the further possibility of applying to courts by way of judicial review, comply with article 6 of the European convention on human rights. I know that that was troubling hon. Members. Secondly, the planning inspectorate is likely to be the body to which appeals will go in England. That is still under discussion, but it is the way in which we are minded to proceed should the Bill complete its passage through both Houses.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 9 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Peter Atkinson
Conservative, Hexham
Order. I do not want to spoil the hon. Gentleman's moment in the parliamentary limelight. However, if, for the convenience of the Committee, he would like me to take together some of the clauses that he does not wish to speak on, I can do that.
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.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
