In addition to the bills introduced by the Government, an individual Westminster M.P. may, on occasion, win the opportunity to introduce a Private Member’s Bill. However they must be one of the few M.P.s chosen by ballot to do so. The ballot to choose which 20 individual Westminster M.P.s will be allowed an opportunity to introduce a bill themselves in 2009-10 has recently been completed. Those chosen by ballot may try to alter the law in an area that they feel requires change by introducing a Private Member’s Bill. This is the most likely opportunity for an individual M.P. to change the law. There is also the ‘10 Minute Rule Bill’ and the ‘Presentation Bill’ but the vital resource of parliamentary time is not available to these latter two mechanisms in the same way that time is available for Private Members’ Bills. 13 Fridays each full session are set aside for Private Members’ Bills. A change to the law that is not politically contentious and likely to attract cross-party support stands a reasonable chance of passing into law. However Government support is seen as the most important factor because the Government has many opportunities of sinking a Private Member’s Bill – for example by a Minster choosing to appear late in the debates on a Private Member’s Bill so that it runs out of its allocated time before a vote on the Second Reading. The lucky M.P.s are listed on the webpage linked below. Dr. Brian Iddon, David Chaytor and Andrew Gwynne are the first three names on the ballot and stand a realistic chance of seeing their proposals pass into law. The rest will use the opportunity of a place on the ballot to air an issue that concerns them in Parliament’s time whilst.
A Private Member’s Bill may also be introduced in the House of Lords where the political atmosphere is less aggressive allowing Private Members’ Bills to progress to the House of Commons without minimal dispute.
The Private Member's Bill in Westminster
The Private Member’s Bill
In addition to the bills introduced by the Government, an individual Westminster M.P. may, on occasion, win the opportunity to introduce a Private Member’s Bill. However they must be one of the few M.P.s chosen by ballot to do so. The ballot to choose which 20 individual Westminster M.P.s will be allowed an opportunity to introduce a bill themselves in 2009-10 has recently been completed. Those chosen by ballot may try to alter the law in an area that they feel requires change by introducing a Private Member’s Bill. This is the most likely opportunity for an individual M.P. to change the law. There is also the ‘10 Minute Rule Bill’ and the ‘Presentation Bill’ but the vital resource of parliamentary time is not available to these latter two mechanisms in the same way that time is available for Private Members’ Bills. 13 Fridays each full session are set aside for Private Members’ Bills. A change to the law that is not politically contentious and likely to attract cross-party support stands a reasonable chance of passing into law. However Government support is seen as the most important factor because the Government has many opportunities of sinking a Private Member’s Bill – for example by a Minster choosing to appear late in the debates on a Private Member’s Bill so that it runs out of its allocated time before a vote on the Second Reading. The lucky M.P.s are listed on the webpage linked below. Dr. Brian Iddon, David Chaytor and Andrew Gwynne are the first three names on the ballot and stand a realistic chance of seeing their proposals pass into law. The rest will use the opportunity of a place on the ballot to air an issue that concerns them in Parliament’s time whilst.
http://www.parliament.uk/faq/ballot_faq_page.cfm
A Private Member’s Bill may also be introduced in the House of Lords where the political atmosphere is less aggressive allowing Private Members’ Bills to progress to the House of Commons without minimal dispute.