Part of Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 10:30 am on 27 April 2011.
Harriett Baldwin
Conservative, West Worcestershire
10:30,
27 April 2011
The Clause addresses a point that the hon. Member for Linlithgow and East Falkirk raised at the beginning of the debate. What would happen in the hypothetical situation that it was not possible to make the statement required in the Bill?
The declaration of compatibility provisions simply say:
“The Secretary of State must, when publishing draft legislation…make a statement to the effect that in his or her view the provisions of the Bill are compatible with the principles of legislative territorial clarity”.
However, it also says the Secretary of State must
“make a statement to the effect that although he or she is unable to make a statement of compatibility the government nonetheless wishes to proceed.”
The second part of the declaration of compatibility states:
“The statement must be in writing, be published in such manner as the Secretary of State making it considers appropriate and be laid before each House of Parliament.”
The debate on this clause focuses on particular circumstances such as a situation where it is simply not possible to make the statements required by the legislation. It gives the Secretary of State some leeway, but ensures that the House of Commons is made aware that the Secretary of State was unable to make that statement of compatibility, thereby opening the matter up to become a debatable issue.
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.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
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.
