Private Member's Bill Articles from SEXGRINDER.COM Free Article Directory

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A Private Member's Bill is a proposed law introduced by a backbench member of parliament, whether from the government or the opposition side, to that legislature or parliament. In most parliaments within the Westminster System of parliamentary democracy, the overwhelming majority of bills introduced are proposed by members of the Cabinet. However some parliamentary time is often set aside so that backbenchers may introduce bills also. Note that a Private Member's Bill should not be confused with a private bill; Private Members' Bills are in fact public bills.

Only a small proportion of Private Members' Bills make it to enactment. This is generally because of lack of time - a controversial private member's bill can be "talked out". In some cases, measures that a government does not want to take responsibility for may be introduced by backbenchers, with the government secretly or openly backing the measure and ensuring its passage. They are sometimes known as "handout" or "whips' bills". The Abortion Act 1967 was enacted in the United Kingdom through this means, with the Bill itself being introduced by a Liberal Party Member of Parliament, David Steel; through the support from Home Secretary Roy Jenkins the Bill was given enough government time to allow a full debate.

Other Private Member's Bills to have been enacted include the Adoption Act 1964, the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1964, the Charter Trustees Act 1986, the Law Reform (Year and a Day Rule) Act 1996, the Knives Act 1997, the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997, the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004, the Sustainable Communities Act 2006.

The United Kingdom parliament has a long history of enacting Private Member's Bills. In contrast, Ireland's parliament, the Oireachtas Éireann, rarely passes Private Members Bills, with the overwhelming number of Bills being passed all being introduced by members of the Irish government.^{[citation needed]}

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