As a new Parliamentary session begins, a fresh wave of Private Members’ Bills are being introduced, with MPs vying to bring their proposals to the legislative forefront. This year, the spotlight is firmly on Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater MP’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which has ignited a nationwide debate on assisted dying. Scheduled for its second reading in the House of Commons this Friday, November 29, the bill has garnered significant attention, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer granting his MPs a free vote—a rare move underscoring its importance.
While Leadbeater’s bill dominates headlines in Westminster, the question arises: what is the current status of Private Members’ Bills in Northern Ireland?
In the Northern Ireland Assembly, most legislation is introduced by Ministers, but individual Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) also have the opportunity to present Private Members’ Bills (PMBs), now officially known as Non-Executive Bills. These bills allow MLAs to address specific issues or advocate for causes that may not be prioritised by the Executive.
Recent examples of successful PMBs include the Period Products (Free Provision) Act, spearheaded by Pat Catney, which ensures free access to period products in schools, colleges, and public buildings—an important milestone in combating period poverty.
Since the Assembly’s return in February, several MLAs have expressed intentions to introduce their own Private Member’s Bill during this legislative mandate, which runs until 2027. For these proposals to become law, they must navigate the legislative process and secure Assembly approval before the mandate's end. Those that have been mentioned so far include Private Members’ Bills on:
· Holiday Hunger (Danny Baker MLA, Sinn Féin)
· Hunting of Wild Mammals with Dogs (John Blair MLA, Alliance)
· Display of Flags, Emblems and Banners (Paula Bradshaw MLA, Alliance – if not brought forward by The Executive Office)
· People’s Housing (Gerry Carroll MLA, People Before Profit)
· UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Danny Donnelly MLA, Alliance)
· Unadopted Housing Developments (Deborah Erskine MLA, DUP)
· Mandatory Suicide Prevention Training for Departmental Staff (Órlaithí Flynn MLA, Sinn Fein)
· Statutory Duty of Candour (Paul Frew MLA, DUP)
· Late Payments for Small Business (David Honeyford MLA, Alliance)
· Regional Jobs, Skills and Investment (Sinéad McLaughlin MLA, SDLP)
· Age Discrimination in Goods, Facilities and Services (Claire Sugden MLA, Independent Unionist)
· Ending Conversion Therapy (Eóin Tennyson MLA, Alliance)
Three Private Members’ Bills have already been officially proposed as Non-Executive Bills by Danny Baker MLA, John Blair MLA, and Gerry Carroll MLA. As the current mandate progresses, it will be important to monitor other bills introduced by MLAs and their colleagues. Notably, attention will also be on whether an Assisted Dying Bill, similar to the one in Westminster, emerges in the Northern Ireland Assembly.