An appendix to a bill which contains matters of detail not suitable for inclusion in a clause. Schedules form part of a bill and are subject to amendment.

The field of applicability of a bill as indicated by its text.

1) The desk in the House of Representatives assigned to an MP. MPs are accorded seats in the House of Representatives not as individuals but in their capacity as representatives of their electoral districts. (2) The electoral district which an MP represents.

The stage at which the principle and object of a bill is either accepted or rejected. Detailed consideration is not given to the clauses of the bill at this stage.

A Member who formally supports a Private Member's Motion in the House. The Member does not actually need to speak in order to support a motion but may simply indicate his or her consent. Government motions and motions in committee do not require seconders.

A secret vote. Currently, this method of voting is used only for the election of the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

Each separate numbered division of an Act. The clauses of a bill become sections once the bill is assented to.

A bill, either public or private, which is first introduced in the Senate. After it has been passed by the Senate, A Senate bill is sent to the House of Representatives.

One of the fundamental time periods into which a Parliament is divided, usually consisting of a number of separate sittings. Sessions are commenced by Presidential proclamation and may be opened, ceremonially, by an address by His Excellency the President. They are ended by prorogation or dissolution of the Parliament.
Distinguish: sitting.

The group of Members in the opposition party/parties, particularly the Official Opposition, chosen to act as party critics for each of the ministerial portfolios.

The title of a proposed Act, used for purposes of citation. Short titles need not cover all of the provisions of a bill. Compare: long title.

An adjournment without the assigning of a day for the next meeting. Usually the adjournment before dissolution or prorogation.

A meeting of the House within a session. A sitting may last for only a matter of minutes or may extend for several hours.
Compare: session.

The Member elected by the House of Representatives to preside over its proceedings. In particular, he or she is responsible for maintaining order and decorum. The Speaker also oversees the administration of the Parliament. In addition, the Speaker is the spokesman and representative of the House of Representatives in its relations with the Senate, the President and other bodies outside the House of Representatives.

The Member or Minister who presents a bill in the House.

An order adopted by the House to regulate its proceedings which remains in effect permanently. Standing orders may be altered or repealed only by a subsequent decision of the House.

The collection of the permanent written rules adopted by the House to govern its proceedings.

A question on the Order Paper for which an oral response is requested.

A Order Paper item during which a Minister may make a short factual announcement or statement of government policy.

A regulation, order, rule or other instrument issued by virtue of power conferred by an Act of Parliament. Statutory instruments are subject to review by the Statutory Instruments Committee of the Senate.
Compare: delegated legislation

Anyone who is not a Member of the House or an official of the House. Strangers are admitted to the galleries but may be expelled by the Speaker/President of the Senate if there is a disturbance.

A convention whereby Members refrain from making reference to certain matters, particularly criminal cases, which are before the courts. It does not apply to bills.

An amendment to an amendment. A subamendment must be relevant to the amendment it seeks to modify, rather than to the original question.

A committee of a committee, to which the latter may delegate its powers, except the power to report to the House. Not all committees are granted the power to establish subcommittees.

See: delegated legislation.

A motion which is procedural in nature, dependent on an order already made by the House. Motions for the second and third readings of bills are subsidiary motions.
Synonym: ancillary motion.

Compare: substantive motion.

An independent proposal which is complete in itself. Normally such motions require written notice before they can be moved in the House. Compare: subsidiary motion.

Ordering a witness to appear before one of its committees.

The convocation of a Parliament following a dissolution or prorogation. Parliament is summoned by a proclamation issued by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.

A motion moved for the purpose of superseding or replacing the question before the House. It may be either a dilatory motion or a motion for the previous question.

An expenditure plan introduced to provide funds to the Government to meet new or increased costs. The Government may introduce as many sets of Supplementary Estimates in a given fiscal year as it deems necessary.

A question seeking clarification or further information following a Minister's response to a question during the oral question period. The Speaker/President of the Senate has wide discretion in permitting the posing of supplementary questions.

The action of dismissing a Member from the services of the House and its committees for one or more days as a result of disorder. This action may be exercised by the Speaker/President of the Senate alone (one day), or as an order of the House (more than one day). Compare: expel a Member; naming a Member.

A pause during the course of a sitting of the House. When the sitting is suspended, the Speaker/President of the Senate leaves the Chair and the Mace is placed in the lower position on the Table.
Distinguish: adjournment; recess.