Part of Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 11:30 am on 18 December 2002.
Chris Leslie
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)
11:30,
18 December 2002
That comment implies that the hon. Gentleman believes that the north-east should receive a lower grant through the local government settlement. I am unsure whether that should be the Conservative party's policy, if its members want to show their face in that region. I suspect that my hon. Friends who represent the region will take note of that comment and place it in their manifestos in future elections.
The evidence of previous structural changes shows that there are often property issues that cannot be resolved by successor authorities. In such circumstances, previous Governments as well as this one have found it necessary, pending the resolution of the problems, to appoint residuary bodies to take on certain property rights, liabilities and so forth, and generally to act as advisers on those issues. It would not make sense to prevent the Government from making similar arrangements in the case of forthcoming reviews, should the need arise. The provision for residuary bodies is sensible, and I urge the hon. Gentleman to withdraw the Amendment.
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.
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.
