Private Members' Bills
Each year a ballot is held for all MPs to win one of the top 20 slots to introduce a Bill into parliament - the Private Members Bill.
When the top 20 names are pulled out of the hat there is a flurry of excitement as literally hundreds of Bills wanting to find legislative time are dusted down and stuck under the noses of the successful MPs.
Choosing the right Bill is important but will depend on the charactcer of the MP. Do they want to make a name for themselves or actaully get somehting sensible but not high profile on the statute book. Sometimes they can do bothof course.
However, there is little or no chance for the Bill to become law if it doesn't have any support from the government of the day or indeed is so controversial that a backbencher could kill it off.
The sessions for the Bills at 2nd Reading are always on a Friday morning. I have always believed that my constituency engagements and surgeries on a Friday must come first. In the early days I did stay sometimes, but it was a bit of a wasted opportunity to get somehting more productive done. I have therefore made it my policy not to stay for Private Members Business on a Friday on the basis that sensible and good Bills will proceed without my intervention.
Private Members' Bills are Public Bills introduced by MPs and Lords who aren’t government ministers. As with other Public Bills their purpose is to change the law as it applies to the general population. A minority of Private Members' Bills become law but, by creating publicity around an issue, they may affect legislation indirectly.
Introducing Private Members' Bills
Like other Public Bills, Private Members' Bills can be introduced in either House and must go through the same set stages. However, as less time is allocated to these Bills, it's less likely that they will proceed through all the stages.
More on Bill stages
To introduce a Bill a Member needs to provide its short title (by which it is known) and its long title (which describes briefly what it does). Complete texts are not necessary and some Private Members' Bills are never published in full.
There are three ways of introducing Private Members' Bills in the House of Commons: the Ballot, the Ten Minute Rule and Presentation.
The Ballot
Ballot Bills have the best chance of becoming law, as they get priority for the limited amount of debating time available. The names of Members applying for a Bill are drawn in a ballot held at the beginning of the parliamentary year. Normally, the first seven ballot Bills get a day's debate.
Ten Minute Rule
Ten Minute Rule Bills are often an opportunity for Members to voice an opinion on a subject or aspect of existing legislation, rather than a serious attempt to get a Bill passed. Members make speeches of no more than ten minutes outlining their position, which another Member may oppose in a similar short statement. It is a good opportunity to raise the profile of an issue and to see whether it has support among other Members.
Presentation
Any Member may introduce a Bill in this way as long as he or she has previously given notice of their intention to do so. Members formally introduce the title of the Bill but do not speak in support of it - they rarely become law.
Private Members' Bills from the Lords
Private Members' Bills introduced in the Lords go through the same stages as any other Public Bill. Once completed, and if an MP supports the Bill, it continues in the Commons. Lords Private Members' Bills are treated like other Private Members' Bills, but do not have priority over Bills introduced in the Commons. They are therefore unlikely to have much, if any, time devoted to them.
So whilst there are merits in Private Members Bills I hope you will understand why I use the time productively in the constituency. There are always enthusiastic supporters for all 20 Bills. I have no doubt that some really are effective. But they will only proceed if they are good and have general agreement across the House from all parties. By definition they will succeed without divisions and therefore being there will make no difference to their passage.