Part of Health and Social Care Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 2:45 pm on 24 January 2008.
Anne Milton
Shadow Minister (Health)
2:45,
24 January 2008
I do not want to add much, except to welcome this move with direct payments. I would just like to caution the Minister again that I might want to say something briefly in the Clause stand part debate—he did not raise his eyes, but he looked a bit tense for a second. I will be very brief.
The issue of the proper person can fall two ways. I was involved with a case in which an over-zealous social services department was utterly convinced that the guardian of an elderly lady was abusing his position. It took more than five years to resolve the matter. This issue is very difficult, and it arises in child protection and any case when responsibility has been given to a third party to look after somebody. We need to ensure that there are safeguards in place in both directions: to protect the vulnerable person; and to protect genuine carers from over-zealous social services departments.
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.
