Part of Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 4:15 pm on 13 January 2005.
Caroline Flint
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
4:15,
13 January 2005
With the hon. Gentleman's agreement, I shall consider whether there should be some provision so that lawfulness is tested at the time when the conduct took place. I hope that that answers part of his question and that it is clear for everyone concerned that the reference to the law of the country at the time should be when the disclosure falls to be made. I will consider what the hon. Gentleman said and see whether there is a simpler way to clarify what we are trying to do.
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.
