The first private members’ bills of the new Parliament are being presented before MPs on Wednesday, with 15 Labour representatives bringing their own bills to the House of Commons.
A total of 20 MPs were selected in a ballot last month to get the chance to introduce new laws in Parliament, with more than half of those chosen being Labour MPs. Four others chosen were Liberal Democrat MPs, as well as TUV MP Jim Allister.
Of the Labour MPs selected, nine of them were newly elected MPs.
Here is a list of the private members’ bills Labour MPs will be presenting to Parliament on Wednesday. We have contacted all 15 MPs for comment and we will update this article with more information as we have it.
Kim Leadbeater, Spen Valley: Assisted dying reform
Kim Leadbeater has announced that her private members’ bill will spark the first parliamentary debate on assisted dying in almost a decade.
The bill, if passed, would give terminally ill people in England and Wales the right to choose to end their life.
In an op-ed for The Guardian earlier this month, Leadbeater said: “I have thought long and hard about these issues which I know are hugely emotive for many people. The truth is that we have never been very comfortable discussing death in this country. But I am sure we all want the best for our relatives and those we care for as they come to the end of their lives.
“The evidence from those places around the world that already have legislation of the kind I am proposing is that patients draw enormous comfort from simply knowing they have the right to choose how and when to end their lives, even if they eventually decide not to exercise it.”
MPs will be granted a free vote on the proposal, which is set to be debated in Parliament on November 29.
Josh MacAlister, Whitehaven and Workington: Smartphones and social media
Josh MacAlister is proposing a bill to force social media companies to adjust their algorithms to make content less addictive for young people.
MacAlister, a former teacher and charity CEO, said there is a growing body of evidence that smartphones and social media are damaging the mental health of children, along with their sleep and learning. His bill, co-sponsored by a cross-party group of MPs including former Conservative Education Secretary Kit Malthouse, would aim to make smartphones less addictive for children and empower families and teachers to cut down children’s daily smartphone screen time.
The main provisions of the ‘Safer Phones Bill’ include raising the age of internet adulthood from 13 to 16, delivering “smartphone free schools” and strengthening Ofcom’s powers to protect children.
MacAlister said: “The evidence is mounting that children doom scrolling for hours a day is causing widespread harm. We need the equivalent of the “seatbelt” legislation for social media use for children.
“Countries around the world are now taking bold action and our children risk being left behind. It’s time to have the national debate here in the UK.”
The bill has the backing of the National Education Union, with general secretary Daniel Kebede urging MPs to back the bill.
He said: “It is plain for all to see that social media usage has been a core reason for the rise in mental health difficulties among children and young people.
“We need to be doing much more as a society to protect children from online harm. The rights and best interests of children when online should be at the forefront of decision-making for government and social media companies.”
Scott Arthur, Edinburgh South West: Cancer treatment trials
Scott Arthur is anticipated to propose a bill to incentivise clinical trials to find new medicines to treat a common form of brain cancer, known as glioblastoma.
The bill is likely to be modelled on a similar initiative in the European Union, which encouraged pharmaceutical companies to invest in medicines for children.
Arthur is expected to put forward the bill following the death of his father-in-law from the disease a few years ago.
Peter Lamb, Crawley: Free school meals
Peter Lamb told LabourList his private members’ bill will seek to introduce auto-enrollment for all of those who qualify for free school meals.
He said: “Research has previously indicated that in my area only half of those eligible for free school meals are currently claiming them. This can be for a range of reasons, but a significant one is a mistaken belief that children would be identified as being in receipt of the meals and subject to bullying.
“Auto-enrollment would ensure that all children who qualify for free school meals are able to access them, not only helping to alleviate some of the impact of the high rates of child poverty, but increasing the funding received by schools catering to the most disadvantaged communities via the Pupil Premium.”
Jake Richards, Rother Valley: Children in faraway care homes
Soon after the ballot, Jake Richards said “subject to procedure and those ahead of me… I’ve made it clear that my first preference for a bill would be to reform our archaic assisted dying laws”.
However, after Kim Leadbeater announced her bill would relate to assisted dying, Richards has confirmed to LabourList his bill would work to address the “damaging trend of children in care being placed far from home”.
He said: “Over 17,00 children are placed more than 20 miles away annually, often due to a lack of local care options. This disrupts their education, relationships, and emotional well-being, making them feel isolated and stigmatised.
“The bill aims to improve transparency, ensure local authorities prevent inappropriate distance placements and compel the government to strengthen support for vulnerable children.”
Ruth Jones, Newport West and Islwyn: Fur trade clampdown
Ruth Jones has said she will use her private members’ bill to “shut up shop on the cruel and unnecessary fur trade”.
Her bill would extend existing bans on trade in fur to include foxes, mink, coyotes and other animals killed for fashion, as well as preventing the import and sale of all animal fur.
Speaking to The Mirror, Jones said: “Footage of terrified foxes on fur farms breaks my heart and I can’t comprehend why anyone would inflict this kind of cruelty on an animal for a bit of frivolous fashion.
“I have heard about the issue from hundreds of my constituents and I am delighted to introduce this bill to reflect their concerns.
“It is about time we shut up shop on this cruel and unnecessary trade and a fur import ban would send a powerful message to the rest of the world.”
Who else is putting forward a private members’ bill?
The 20 MPs who secured the chance to present a private members’ bill to Parliament are:
- Kim Leadbeater, Labour, Spen Valley
- Max Wilkinson, Liberal Democrat, Cheltenham
- Roz Savage, Liberal Democrat, South Cotswolds
- Clive Lewis, Labour, Norwich South
- Josh MacAlister, Labour, Whitehaven and Workington
- Scott Arthur, Labour, Edinburgh South West
- Jim Allister, TUV, North Antrim
- Peter Lamb, Labour, Crawley
- Alex McIntyre, Labour, Gloucester
- Andrew Ranger, Labour, Wrexham
- Jake Richards, Labour, Rother Valley
- Tracy Gilbert, Labour, Edinburgh North and Leith
- Linsey Farnsworth, Labour, Amber Valley
- John Grady, Labour, Glasgow East
- Rachael Maskell, Labour, York Central
- Ruth Jones, Labour, Newport West and Islwyn
- Danny Chambers, Liberal Democrat, Winchester
- Sarah Owen, Labour, Luton North
- Wendy Chamberlain, Liberal Democrat, North East Fife
- Rupa Huq, Labour, Ealing Central and Acton
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