Result! A Ten Minute Rule Bill slot has been secured for 15 July to bring forward a small but important change to the registration of stillbirths in England and Wales.
At present, parents of stillborn babies must attend a registrar’s office in person. This often means waiting alongside new parents registering births, adding to the distress of losing their own baby.
The Bill was proposed by Chadderton couple Cassie and Ryan Claydon, who experienced this themselves and want to see a simple change that would allow registrations to be completed remotely.
This already happens in Scotland, where appointments can be conducted over the phone, but not in England and Wales.
I previously entered both the Private Members’ Bill ballot and the Ten Minute Rule Bill ballot but was unsuccessful. However, when a slot became available following the withdrawal of another Bill, I attended the Public Bill Office first thing in the morning to secure it. Arriving an hour early paid off!
On 15 July, I will tell Cassie and Ryan’s story in the House of Commons and present a draft Bill based on the experience they first raised with me at a constituency advice surgery.
Ten Minute Rule Bills do not often become law, but they are an important way of raising issues and demonstrating that change is possible. This proposal transcends political divides and represents a simple, compassionate reform. I will be urging the Government to adopt it and will continue pressing the case behind the scenes.
Jim McMahon OBE MP 