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What is a private members bill ahead of controversial assisted dying vote?


A handout photograph, released by the UK Parliament, shows Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (bottom R) standing and speaking during Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons, in central London on November 27, 2024. (Photo by UK PARLIAMENT / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - NO USE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, SATIRICAL, ADVERTISING PURPOSES - MANDATORY CREDIT

The Assisted Dying Bill will be voted on in Parliament on Friday (Picture: UK Parliament)

Tomorrow MPs will vote on the highly controversial assisted dying bill, which seeks to grant adults suffering from terminal illness the right to choose to end their life on their own terms.

Championed by Labour backbench MP Kim Leadbeater, the bill would apply to those who are over 18 years old, have mental capacity, and have six months left to live, with the consent of two medical professionals.

The bill has been fast-tracked to a vote after being first introduced as a Private Members’ Bill (PMB) in mid-October, which are bills introduced by MPs and Peers who are not Government ministers.

But it has generated controversy from members of the house on both sides of the debate, who are concerned about the speed in which the bill is being brought to a vote, and a perceived lack of safeguarding measures.

The bill is being put to a ‘free vote’ on Friday, which means MPs are able to vote according to their own personal values and those of their constituents, rather than being advised to vote a certain way by party whips.

If passed, the assisted dying bill will become one of the most significant Private Members’ Bill to be written into law in recent memory.

So what exactly are Private Members Bills and why are they so hard to pass?

What is a Private Members’ Bill?

Private Member’s Bills are proposals for new laws or changes to existing ones brought forward by MPs who are not part of the government. They serve a crucial role in allowing backbench or opposition MPs a chance to shape the legislative agenda and champion causes that were not part of the ruling party’s manifesto.

Unlike government bills, which are tied to the administration’s official priorities, Private Members’ Bills often highlight niche issues, personal causes, or emerging social concerns. While they rarely become law, their importance lies in sparking debates, influencing public opinion, and occasionally pushing the government to take action on overlooked topics.

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There are two ways to get a Private Members’ Bill tabled for debate – a Ballot Bill and the Ten Minute Rule. Due to the high number of MPs who want to table Private Members’ Bills, the start of each Parliament session sees backbench MPs who wish to table one put their names into a ballot.

Twenty-five of these are then selected to be ‘Ballot Bills’, which take priority over other Private Members’ Bills and are allocated time for debates, giving them a better chance of becoming law. 

The other way of tabling a Private Members’ Bill is through a process called the ‘Ten Minute Rule’, where MPs are given a ten-minute window in parliament to outline their position, which another member may oppose with a similar short statement. These are seen as good opportunities to raise the profile of an issue and …read more

Source:: Metro

      

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