High Hedges (No. 2) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:00 pm on 7 May 2003.
Steve Pound
Labour, Ealing North
I should like the Committee to have dealt with Clause 11 formally, but it is one of the more significant clauses—even in a Bill as full of significant clauses as Christmas puddings are full of raisins.
The clause provides the enforcement provisions that will exert pressure on a recalcitrant owner to cut the hedge and keep it trimmed. Failure to comply with a remedial notice is an offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding Ł1,000. It also
makes provision for daily fines if the requisite work remains outstanding. I would like to point out that people will not be prosecuted simply for growing hedges. The provisions will come into play only if someone refuses to comply with the local authority's remedial notice.
If any hon. Member thinks that the provision is unnecessarily draconian, let me say that it is the Minister's opinion, and that of many of our advisers, that it is essential to have fines of such levels. The magnitude of the pain caused to people by unthinking or malicious neighbours is commensurate with the extent of the fine.
Question put and agreed to.
Clause 11 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 12 to 14 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.
