Title

28.119Except in the circumstances described below, the long title can be amended only if the bill has been so altered as to necessitate such an amendment;1 but any amendment to the title that may be necessary is made.2 No question is put that the title, or that the title as amended, stand part of the bill; and debate on an amendment must be limited to the question of whether the alteration is necessary to bring the title into conformity with the bill.3

Where a bill has been divided in committee and it is necessary to provide the new bill with a title, the question ‘That the title be the title to the bill’ is put after notice of the title has been given.4

Where a title has referred to a proposal not contained in a bill as introduced, an amendment to the title not consequential on any amendment to the bill has been permitted to be made.5

The short title of a bill may be amended by means of an amendment to the citation clause (see para 26.6 ), and a corresponding alteration is thereupon made by the Public Bill Office to the title by which the bill is referred to in the House (see para 28.123 ).

Footnotes

  1. 1. HC Deb (1930) 246, c 996; ibid (1976–77) 923, c 1679.
  2. 2. CJ (1854–55) 223; ibid (1933–34) 150, 161; ibid (1934–35) 208 (on re-committal).
  3. 3. HC Deb (1913) 55, cc 457–58, 465.
  4. 4. Local Government, Planning and Land (No 2) Bill, Stg Co Deb (1979–80) Co D, c 932.
  5. 5. New Streets Bill, Stg Co Deb (1950–51) Co B, c 718; Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill, ibid (1952–53) Co B, c 1059; Parliamentary Control of Expenditure (Reform) Bill (changed to National Audit Bill), Stg Co Deb (1982–83) Co C, c 254; Activity Centres (Young Persons' Safety) Bill, Stg Co Deb (1994–95) Co C, c 90; Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation and Liability for Housing Standards) Bill Committee, 20 June 2018, c 18. See also para 28.149, fn 1 for corresponding amendments moved on third reading.