Part of Pensions Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 1:15 pm on 21 February 2008.
Mike O'Brien
Minister of State (Pension Reform), Department for Work and Pensions
1:15,
21 February 2008
The hon. Gentleman will be aware that section 68 of the Pensions Act 1995 enables regulations of the sort that he describes to be brought forward. In effect, the provision that would enable us to bring forward the regulations is already there. If it were the case that we intended to bring those regulations forward, that prompts the question of what point the Amendment would serve.
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.
