– in a Public Bill Committee at on 27 April 2011.
Roger Gale
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Substitute Member)
9:30,
27 April 2011
Before we commence, it might be for the convenience of Members if I explain about the Amendment paper. Clause 1 stand part has been proposed, and therefore no amendments can be accepted to that clause. That means that amendments 1 to 5, which relate to clause 1, have been ruled out of order. The grouped amendments that we are going to take with clause 1 stand part all relate to clause 2, but are akin to the subject matter of clause 1. They can therefore be debated with clause 1 stand part and if appropriate moved later, as can new clause 1. That is exactly the position.
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.
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.
