Part of Civil Aviation Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 12:45 pm on 5 July 2005.
Justine Greening
Vice-Chair (Youth), Conservative Party
12:45,
5 July 2005
The Amendment removes that part of Clause 2 that would enable the Secretary of State to change the current regime, which is set out in section 78 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The current regime restricts night flights at the designated airports of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and the amendment would guarantee that the existing movements limit is retained as a control mechanism, whereas clause 2(2) proposes that the Secretary of State could remove that limit.
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.
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.
