Part of Care Bill [Lords] – in a Public Bill Committee at 9:45 am on 4 February 2014.
Paul Burstow
Liberal Democrat, Sutton and Cheam
9:45,
4 February 2014
I rise to thank the Minister for introducing the new Clause. It reflects the debate the Committee had on an Amendment that I tabled. It was supported by Government Members and called for an appeals mechanism to be put in place. The new clause reflects the recommendation of the Joint Committee, which came to a cross-party consensus on the need for such provision, and it obviously reflects the fact that the Government have taken on board the representations they received in their consultation. I will mention another matter on which that has perhaps not been the outcome.
However, on the new clause, the Minister is right. He has set out clearly a thorough set of regulation-making powers that will enable the design of a proportionate fit-for-purpose appeals system to emerge. We now need the many stakeholders, who have an interest in getting the design right, involved in its design, and it must be implemented in a timely fashion. It needs to be in place and understood as the legislation goes live from 2015, so that it is running in advance of the introduction of the capping system from 2016, because I think aspects of the legislation warrant having it in place at that stage. For those reasons, I am pleased to see the tabling of the new clause. I congratulate the Minister on listening to what the Committee has said and on taking on board the recommendations of the Joint Committee.
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.
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.
