Part of Gambling Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:30 am on 11 November 2004.
Mr Nick Hawkins
Conservative, Surrey Heath
9:30,
11 November 2004
I want to make it clear that I do not disagree with the Minister. The legal definitions need to be precise. Of course I understand what he said about the amount of work that went into drafting the Clause. However, I hope that he understands that, when an ordinary person, or even someone involved in the gaming industry, looks at a subsection that begins
''providing, otherwise than in the course of providing'',
their natural instinct will be to think that it is very confusing. All that Amendment No. 40 asks the
Minister to do is consider with his officials, perhaps before consideration on Report, whether there is a way of drafting the clause that is not so confusing and circular and does not lose the legal significance.
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.
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.
