Part of Civil Contingencies Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:15 pm on 29 January 2004.
Alistair Carmichael
Shadow Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Energy and Climate Change)
4:15,
29 January 2004
I can be similarly brief. I share the general thrust of my hon. Friend's argument, although as I read it–the Minister may correct me–the Clause is about the transfer of information between bodies who are category 1 respondents; essentially, they would be the public bodies listed in schedule 1. However, I am concerned about the structure of schedule 1.
Obviously, there is no power under this part of the Bill for a Scottish Minister to require either the British Transport police or the Secretary of State, as far as his functions relate to maritime and coastal matters, to be the recipient of information from bodies listed under part 2. That seems to be an obvious defect. If the power under clause 6 is necessary–on balance, it probably is–it ought to extend to information to be provided to those bodies. Given recent concerns about the operation of the Data Protection Act, and especially the difficulties experienced by police forces in England and Wales about sharing information in relation to the Soham murders, the power should be expressed in 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.
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.
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.
