Private Members Bills - UK House of Commons

Further to a piece I did on my PPS programme on Spectrum on Air, here are further resources concerning Private Members Bills

Allocation of time - s14 House of Commons Standing Orders

Detailed information about Private Members Bills

Current Private Members Bills

List of all bills currently before Parliament, with links to text, other relevant documents and progress.

Before Introduction

The third video in the series "How Law is made in the UK". Excellent companions to this video include

Section A & Section B of The Cabinet Office's "Guide to Making Legislation"
The Hansard Society's "Law in the Making" - which sets out some case studies of legislation. (available from the Hansard Society here
Green Papers explained: http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/green-papers/
White Papers explained: http://www.parliament.uk/site-information/glossary/white-paper/

How Law is Made - Introduction

As promised recently, I begin a new series on how law is made in the UK. This video considers some important principles to keep in mind, and looks briefly at "Sources of Law".



Standing Order 14 (House of Commons: Public Business) reads (full text of Standing Orders available here)

(1) Save as provided in this order, government business shall have precedence at every sitting.

(2) Twenty days shall be allotted in each session for proceedings on opposition business, seventeen of which shall be at the disposal of the Leader of the Opposition and three of which shall be at the disposal of the leader of the second largest opposition party; and matters selected on those days shall have precedence over government business ......
(3A) Thirty-five days or its equivalent shall be allotted in each session for proceedings in the House and in Westminster Hall on backbench business of which at least twenty-seven shall be allotted for proceedings in the House; the business determined by the Backbench Business Committee shall have precedence over government business ......

(4) Private Members’ bills shall have precedence over government business on thirteen Fridays in each session to be appointed by the House.

(5) On and after the eighth Friday on which private Members’ bills have precedence, such bills shall be arranged on the order paper in the following order— consideration of Lords amendments, third readings,
consideration of reports not already entered upon, adjourned proceedings on consideration, bills in
progress in committee, bills appointed for committee, and second readings.

(6) The ballot for private Members’ bills shall be held on the second Thursday on which the House shall sit during the session under arrangements to be made by the Speaker, and each bill shall be presented by the Member who has given notice of presentation or by another Member named by him in writing to the Clerks at the Table, at the commencement of public business on the fifth Wednesday on which the House shall sit during the session.

(7) Until after the fifth Wednesday on which the House shall sit during the session, no private Member shall—
(a) give notice of a motion for leave to bring in a bill under Standing Order No. 23 (Motions for leave to
bring in bills and nomination of select committees at commencement of public business); or
(b) give notice for presenting a bill under Standing Order No. 57 (Presentation and first reading); or
(c) inform the Clerks at the Table of his intention to take charge of a bill which has been brought from the Lords......

Private Members Bills - Elections and the Constitution

Bills to amend the way elections and referenda are held - and other constitutional issues are popular amongst those MPs who topped the ballot this year. First Readings (a pure formality) have been held for some - though the bills themselves might not be printed until much nearer the date of the Second Reading. Press on the name of the Bill - and you will be directed to the Parliamentary page about that Bill.

Elector Registration Bill
Electoral Law (Amendment) Bill
Referendums Bill

Legislation (Territorial Extent) Bill

Untied Kingdom Parliamentary Sovereignty Bill
European Communities Act 1972 (Repeal) Bill
European Union (Audit of Benefits and Costs of UK Membership) Bill
European Union Membership (Referendum) Bill


Public Bodies (Disposal of Assets) Bill
 
Taxation Freedom Day Bill

Private Members Bills for 2009/10 Session

The list of the 20 successful backbench MPs who have an opportunity to bring forward a private members bill was published last week. In view of the fact that this will be a short session, few are likely to get their bills completed. In a normal session 13 Fridays are set aside for consideration of Private Members Bills. A Factsheet on the success of 'PMBs' can be found here. We should know shortly what bills the lucky 20 propose to introduce. The 20 bills will be presented (1st Reading) on Wednesday 16 December 2009.

The 20 MPs selected (in order) are -

Dr Brian Iddon
Mr David Chaytor
Andrew Gwynne
Albert Owen
Julie Morgan
Mr Anthony Steen
Alistair Burt
John Smith
Chris Grayling
Mr Nigel Dodds
Dr Richard Taylor
Simon Hughes
Mr Nigel Waterson
Mr Douglas Carswell
Bob Spink
Mr Mark Hoban
David Cairns
Mr Richard Shepherd
Mr David Heath
Mr Mark Field

Private Members Bills - Ballot Results

The 20 MPs successful in the ballot were as follows (in order):

Mrs Cheryl Gillan
Mr David Heath
Mr Lindsay Hoyle
Peter Luff
Dr Evan Harris
Malcolm Wicks
Mr Peter Ainsworth
David Mundell
Mrs Jacqui Lait
Sir Paul Beresford
Mr Stephen Crabb
Mrs Caroline Spelman
Mr Jeremy Browne
Mr Jim Cunningham
Mr Tim Boswell
Mr Russell Brown
Mr Charles Kennedy
Philip Davies
John Bercow
Mr Michael Mates

Standing Order 14

…
(4) Private Members’ bills shall have precedence over
government business on thirteen Fridays in each session to be
appointed by the House.
(5) On and after the eighth Friday on which private Members’
bills have precedence, such bills shall be arranged on the order
paper in the following order—
consideration of Lords amendments, third readings,
consideration of reports not already entered upon,
adjourned proceedings on consideration, bills in
progress in committee, bills appointed for committee,
and second readings.
(6) The ballot for private Members’ bills shall be held on the
second Thursday on which the House shall sit during the
session under arrangements to be made by the Speaker, and
each bill shall be presented by the Member who has given
notice of presentation or by another Member named by him in
writing to the Clerks at the Table, at the commencement of
public business on the fifth Wednesday on which the House
shall sit during the session.

Private Members Bills

In the House of Commons most of the legislation is introduced by the Government - and it enjoys control of the majority of time available. However, on thirteen Fridays each session time is allocated for the consideration of Private Members Bills (PMBs). During the first seven Fridays priority is given to the Second Reading of PMBs and the remaining six to Report Stages; Third Readings and Lords Amendments.

At the start of each session a ballot is held - and the lucky backbenchers who are chosen get the opportunity to introduce a bill of their choice. Further details of PMBs can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/DOCUMENTS/UPLOAD/L02.PDF

The ballot is not the only way for a member to gain an opportunity to introduce proposed legislation. The 'Ten Minute Rule Bill' procedure gives an MP a prime time spot to ask for leave to introduce a bill - though this is often used to publicise an issue rather than to bring in legislation. MPs can also present a bill, but no time is given for further stages.