Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:45 am on 20 January 2005.
David Heath
Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs)
I rise simply to ask why the Clause is necessary. It would appear to give Her Majesty the power to do something within the bailiwicks or the Isle of Man that she ought to be permitted to do as sovereign of those Crown territories without recourse to Parliament. I am not clear about the need for the clause.
Hazel Blears
Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee
At the moment, the provisions of the Police Act 1997 dealing with information on the local police force do not extend to the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. As the Criminal Records Bureau has no jurisdiction there, it cannot directly ask for information from those police forces. We have a sort of gateway arrangement under which the nearest mainland force provides the information. It works, but it is more like a post box, and it is an extra administrative burden.
We want to extend part 5 to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man by Order in Council. That would give us the opportunity to get rid of the gateway and post box function and allow the CRB to request information directly from those police forces.
David Heath
Shadow Spokesperson (Home Affairs)
That is commendable. I do not argue with the intention, but I do not entirely see why it is necessary. It will change legislation in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man so that the UK Parliament has a locus there. However, I am happy with the Minister's assurance.
Clause 144 ordered to stand part of the Bill.
Clauses 145 and 146 ordered to stand part of 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.
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.
