Part of Employment Rights Bill – in a Public Bill Committee at 3:30 pm on 9 January 2025.
Greg Smith
Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Business and Trade), Opposition Whip (Commons)
3:30,
9 January 2025
Yes, absolutely—there is no issue for His Majesty’s loyal Opposition with the protection of our intelligence services.
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 Opposition are the political parties in the House of Commons other than the largest or Government party. They are called the Opposition because they sit on the benches opposite the Government in the House of Commons Chamber. The largest of the Opposition parties is known as Her Majesty's Opposition. The role of the Official Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of Government. The Opposition often votes against the Government. In a sense the Official Opposition is the "Government in waiting".
