Book Description

The ability of any Member to bring forward a legislative proposition, and to have it debated, is the clearest indication that so far as legislation is concerned the House is not a mere machine, churning out endless bills introduced, timetabled, amended and whipped through by the Executive. However, the weight of evidence demonstrates a clear desire across the House for change to private Member's bill procedures. The fundamental problem with the private Member's bill procedures as they currently operate is that it is too easy for a small number of Members to prevent a bill from progressing without giving the House as a whole the chance to come to a decision on it. The difficulty of achieving legislative change - or rather, the ease with which legislative change can be resisted - undermines the effectiveness of both kite-flying and campaigns for legislative change, and tilts the balance away from backbenchers and towards the Government in the choice of bills brought forward. This report considers the various purposes for which private Members' bills may be used; and looks in detail at the reasons for the problems which are inherent in private Member's bill procedures as they currently operate; and puts forward options for reform. It's basis is that reform should have two objects: to increase the transparency of the process; and to ensure that the process is a genuine opportunity for debate, scrutiny and, if it is the will of the House, passage of a backbench legislative proposition