Part of Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:30 am on 25 January 2005.
Nigel Evans
Conservative, Ribble Valley
9:30,
25 January 2005
I understand fully the Minister's argument. If a person could use the excuse that they were operating under orders and got off because of that, and no one was therefore considered to be culpable, clearly that would be useless. We want to see an end to any unlawful depositing of waste.
What guidance will be issued to employees about what rights they have? If they were to say to an employer that they would not do what they were asked, they could risk losing their jobs and their livelihoods.
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.
