Two of Edinburgh’s newest Members of Parliament (MPs), Dr Scott Arthur and Tracy Gilbert, presented their private members’ bills to the House of Commons last Wednesday, 16 October.
Scott Arthur, Labour MP for Edinburgh South West, came sixth in the ballot that allows backbenchers to put forward a bill of their choice.
His Rare Cancers Bill aims to incentivise research and investment in the treatment of rare cancers.
The Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Tracy Gilbert, came twelfth and put forward the Absent Voting Bill.
This would enable voters to apply online for a postal or proxy vote for all elections in Scotland and Wales.
Speaking to The Student, Scott Arthur explained that his father-in-law passed away from a glioblastoma, a rare type of brain cancer.
“To hear that a bill could drastically improve outcomes for those diagnosed with a rare cancer was incredibly moving and motivating”, he said.
Dr Arthur added that whilst rare cancers are defined as those with an incidence rate of less than six per 100,000, when put together they comprise 24 per cent of cancer diagnoses.
He hopes that the bill will provide non-cash financial incentives for pharmaceutical companies to drive forward research and improve treatments for cancers like glioblastoma.
Tracy Gilbert told The Student that her proposed bill is “supported by a range of stakeholders” and will make a “tangible difference for people […] across Scotland”.
Currently, voters must fill out an application and return it by post to register for an absent vote for devolved and local elections in Scotland and Wales, unlike in England, where online registration is possible for all types of elections.
Hoping that the change would streamline the voting process, she added:
“The disruption to postal votes in the recent elections highlighted the importance of efficiency in the administration of elections”.
MPs that appear further up the ballot are more likely to see their bills make it into legislation, as they usually have more time reserved for debates.
To become law, the bills will have to pass through both the commons and the House of Lords before gaining royal ascent.
Debating time is not guaranteed with priority given to those MPs, like Dr Arthur, who are higher up the ballot.
The rare cancers bill will get its second reading in the Commons on 14 March 2025, while the absent voting bill is scheduled for 17 January 2025.
Image via House of Commons