5
amendments are of a very minor nature, even mere printing errors; but each amendment so taken requires to be formally put and carried. This has to be repeated for the clause as amended. It has been suggested that the cumulative effect of this procedure is to trivialize the Council's work in the eyes of the public.
10
The obvious alternative would be for the bill's sponsor to speak once to cover all the proposed amendments, and for all the amendments to be effected by a single vote. The Working Group examined this, and decided that it was practicable, but considered that it should be used with caution. Apart from the fact that it would reduce the time spent publicly considering legislation, batching clauses would make the Council's proceedings appear more staged even than now. It could also be difficult to administer if more than one Member wished to move amendments to a bill: and, in particular, to individual clauses. In the end, while accepting that there might be occasional cases where the batching of clauses was an appropriate device, the Working Group concluded that the best means to ensure that committee stage work received adequate attention without impinging on the work of the Council qua Council would be to move towards the use of Select Committees. This idea is developed in paragraphs 13 to 23.
11
The Working Group did conclude, however, that there would be advantage in bills being batched at the third reading stage, so that all hills whose third reading is at the same session are the subject of one vote. This would reduce some chanting, and is expressly permitted by Standing Order 51(3): The Working Group makes this recommendation.
Procedure for new clauses
•
12
The procedure for new clauses under S.6. 46 was also considered. While S.0. 46 requires new clauses and Schedules to be taken after all clauses and Schedules, respectively, have been dealt with there seems little logic in so doing. On the contrary, logic suggests that if the new clause deals with a particular topic that appears earlier. on in the Bill, it should be, dealt with there. The point may be dealt with by perhaps. qualifying S.0. 46, or just sub- paragraphs (4), (5) and (7) with a power of the President to vary the procedure prescribed, but the Working Group concluded that there was no pressing need for this amendment, and that the occasional circumstances when it would be desirable to introduce new clauses, in sequence could be dealt with by: the suspension of Standing Orders.