Health and Social Care Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 6:15 pm on 15 January 2008.
Stephen O'Brien
Shadow Minister (Health)
Briefly, it is worth the Minister taking note that if he is looking for an example of a Clause that is shot through with the word “prescribed”, this is the one. Above all, this is where those of us who are desperately trying to understand and scrutinise the Bill find that its drafting means that we need to have almost all the documents at our disposal to make sense of it. I hope that he will note that. If he can offer any greater clarification when we come back to consider these matters on Report, I am absolutely sure that that would be welcomed by members of the Committee.
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.
