New Clause 19

Part of Pensions Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 1:30 pm on 21 February 2008.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Nigel Waterson Nigel Waterson Shadow Minister, Work & Pensions 1:30, 21 February 2008

Yes. Let us not go further into the nature of the Lewin and Sweeney exercise, but it seems like a wartime convoy going at the speed of the slowest ship when there seems to be a lot of consensus on what needs to be done. The Minister has the powers, and we should get on and do it. Clearly, the door at which I am  pushing, and which is supposed to be open, is stuck. Until the odd-job man makes an appearance, I beg to ask leave to withdraw the motion.

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.

Minister

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.