29/10/10 - Swindon Advertiser Weekly Article

This week, I was able to successfully able to deliver a Ten Minute Rule Bill. Through this Bill, I am seeking to amend the law so that if a developer fails to maintain new build areas prior to the Local Authority taking ownership of the land, the Local Authority would be able to step in, carry out the work and recover the costs from the developer. This covers street scene issues such as: litter, graffiti, road repairs and street lighting. Having represented the Abbey Meads ward as a Councillor for 10 years, I saw firsthand just how frustrating it was for local residents who had to continuously chase developers.

The Ten Minute Rule is a procedure in the British Parliament for the introduction of Private Member& 39;s Bills. It is one of the ways in which a bill may receive its first reading. Any MP may introduce a bill under the Ten Minute Rule. To qualify to introduce a bill under the Rule, the MP in question must be the first through the door to the Public Bill Office fifteen working days prior to the date they wish to introduce their bill. Due to the popularity of the Rule and the difficulty in launching a Private Members Bill by other means, MPs have been known to sleep outside the Public Bill Office in order to guarantee a slot!

Ten Minute Rule motions are held in the main Commons Chamber after question time. The MP then presents their Bill and is entitled to speak for 10 minutes to convince the house of its merit. After the 10 minutes have passed, another MP may speak for a further 10 minutes to oppose the bill. The Speaker then calls a voice vote to decide whether the bill should be allowed a second reading, which is where the Bill is debated at a later date as part of parliamentary business. The Speaker will divide the house for a recorded count of votes if there is some opposition. I was delighted to secure support across the political spectrum as no-one spoke against my Bill, nor was a vote required.

When I stood for election I was determined to make a difference, using Parliament to champion local issues. A huge amount of work went into preparing this Bill and to be able to get so much support from fellow MPs was a very proud moment for me.

Finally a big congratulations to Swindon Supermarine reaching the FA Cup 1st Round for the first time in their history! This is a real credit to all the volunteers and supporters who have worked so hard to keep Supermarine progressing after tough financial challenges in the summer.