Clause 9

Part of Offender Management Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:30 pm on 18 January 2007.

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Photo of Gerry Sutcliffe Gerry Sutcliffe The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department 2:30, 18 January 2007

I want to pursue the point. If the Amendment were accepted and the tests were not stringent, one might end up with someone who was not properly qualified. If we suppose that what my hon. Friend fears happens and the private sector runs all the approved premises estate, somebody approved on the basis of the 2001 Act might still not have the required skills to be able to deal with approved premises. The provider could claim that that person was okay because they had got through on the 2001 Act. I think that the amendment devalues the role of the person who works in approved premises, because it says that somebody with a lesser qualification could have that role.

Clause

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.

amendment

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.