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Second reading of Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill

14 February 2011 (updated on 14 February 2011)

Image of UK Parliament portcullis

Harriett Baldwin, Conservative MP for West Worcestershire, introduced the second reading of the Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill, a Private Member's Bill, in the House of Commons on Friday 11 February, 2011

Broadly, the Bill would require the Secretary of State to make a statement stating what legal and financial effect draft legislation would have on each part of the United Kingdom.

The Bill would make it possible to separately and clearly identify legislation that would apply to England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Bill passed second reading with a vote, Ayes 19, Noes 17, and will now be considered by a Public Bill Committee.

Private Members' Bills

Private Members' Bills are Public Bills introduced by MPs and Members of the Lords who aren't government ministers. As with other Public Bills their purpose is to change the law as it applies to the general population.

Public Bill Committees

Public Bill Committees are appointed for Bills that goes through Parliament. Depending on its complexity, the consideration of a Bill can take a few minutes to a few months.

Each Public Bill Committee is named after the Bill it considers and is assigned a chair. Public Bill Committees have the power to take written and oral evidence from officials and experts outside of Parliament.

Public Bill Committees examine each Bill clause by clause and once it has finished looking at the Bill, it reports its findings to the Commons, where MPs debate the Bill further.