Of Cabbages And Kings

MPs will debate everything from food regulation through to royal succession laws when Parliament sits today.

After Question Time, MPs are scheduled to debate the long delayed second reading of the Food Bill, which was put on hold in 2010 after a storm of criticism from almost every group with an interest in food regulations.

The Government recently released its proposal to amend the bill, which received praise from almost every group with an interest in food regulations. The responsible minister Nikki Kaye (who inherited the bill from Kate Wilkinson) has indicated the bill will be sent back to select committee for consideration of the proposed changes.

This will be followed by the second reading of the Companies and Limited Partnerships Amendment Bill, which has also been languishing on the order paper for a year and then the Royal Succession Bill.

The bill ensures Royal succession is not dependent on a person's sex, and so allows an older daughter to precede a younger son in the line of succession.

It also allows the British king or queen to marry a Roman Catholic and says not every descendant of King George II needs the permission of their sovereign to marry.

As the bill says ``There are likely hundreds of descendants of King George II who were, or are, unaware of the marriage consent requirements of the Royal Marriages Act 1772 and whose marriages are technically invalid.’’

Britain needs Commonwealth countries to pass the law in order for the new rules to come into force.

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