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Baroness Deech: It’s a private affair
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'Private Members’ Bills are Public Bills introduced by MPs and Lords who are not 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.' That is the definition on the parliamentary website. The public may be most aware of the annual ballot in the Commons when 20 MPs are given the chance of time to introduce a bill on a topic in which they are interested although only a tiny number eventually succeed. Amongst private members’ successes in achieving new legislation are House of Lords Reform Gangmasters’ Licensing Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Anti-Slavery Day and Female Genital Mutilation along with many others. What they all have in common is a topic of great interest to the member for the benefit of the public for which the Government has not got time or finds difficult to tackle because it is a moral issue or otherwise politically a hot...
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