The hon Chief Whip would you please advise us. Does he want to address us from his seat? You are free to do that hon member, if you wanted to. But would you please come over.
Thank you, hon Deputy Speaker. As the co-chairperson of the Mediation Committee, I would like to report that the mediation committee was established after it was discovered that between the period that the Children's Amendment Bill was passed by the National Assembly and when it appeared before the National Council of Provinces, there were what people believe to be serious discrepancies. The Mediation Committee met on the 21 November 2007 and went through those discrepancies with a fine comb.
What was discovered was that, in actual fact, the discrepancies related to grammatical mistakes; the changing of a comma from one place to another or changing a full stop and putting in a comma. There were no substantial issues which came about. It shall be recalled that when the Bill was passed in the National Assembly, it was passed on the understanding that consequential changes should be made.
The committee came up with what you see before you today, that is the Bill 19 (F) of 2006, reprint. But at this stage, I would like to inform the House that there are only two issues. The document has been circulated. Each and every member has this document. It relates to clause 6, ie, that there is a change on Page 25 line 24 after the word "child" to omit a full stop and put in a comma. Then in clause 11 there is a change, in the sense that after "investigation", there should have been inserted the words "to be conducted". Also on page 51 line 14 after the word "child", to omit those words "to be conducted".
It is the submission of the mediation committee that as the Bill stands now, today, with those two issues I've referred to, it is in order. As such, we as the mediation committee submit that the Report should be adopted.
I would like just to mention that the mediation committee consists of members of the National Assembly, as well as members of the National Council of Provinces. It was a multiparty mediation committee. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in it. I would also raise one issue and that is to say that what happened is something that we, as Parliament, would say we do not wish to see happening again. Thank you.
There was no debate.
Madam Speaker, I move:
That the Children's Amendment Bill, with the textual amendments, be passed.
Motion agreed to.
Bill, with textual amendments, accordingly passed.
1) On page 25, in line 24, after "child" to omit "." And to substitute ";". 2) On page 51, in line 13, after "investigation" to insert "to be conducted". 3) On page 51, in line 14, after "child" to omit "to be conducted".