Private Member Research Articles

Good welfare really does come in threes!

Fiona Shuttleworth, parliamentary veterinary intern to Lord Trees, discusses the three welfare-related Private Members' Bills drawn from the ballot last month and what they might mean if they become law.

The Right to Move a Private Member’s Bill in Uganda

Abstract Under Article 94(4)(b) of the Constitution, ‘a member of Parliament has the right to move a private member’s bill [PMB]’. Under Article 94(4)(d), ‘the office of the Attorney-General shall afford the member moving the private member’s bill professional assistance in the drafting of the bill’. Article 93 prohibits Parliament from proceeding with a PMB that, inter alia, imposes a charge on the Consolidated Fund. Rule 121(3) of the Rules of Parliament provides ‘[t]he Clerk to Parliament shall, where necessary, afford the Member moving the’ PMB ‘professional assistance in the drafting of the Bill’. Under Rule 122(1), a PMB has to be introduced by way of motion which has to be carried for it to be passed. The right under Article 94(4)(b) is not one of the fundamental rights. The author relies on the drafting history of Articles 93 and 94 to demonstrate the nature of this right. He relies on the Hansard (2016–2024) to highlight how this right has been protected. He argues that Rules 121(3) and 122(2) are unconstitutional and that the Constitutional Court’s interpretation of Article 93(a)(ii) in one of its decisions is contrary to the drafting history of that provision.

The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable strategic plan: Introduction.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States and across the world. The American Cancer Society National Lung Cancer Roundtable (ACS NLCRT) was established in 2017 as a consortium of public, private, and voluntary organizations with a mission to lower the impact of lung cancer via prevention, early detection, and optimal therapy. The ACS NLCRT supports a comprehensive scope of work that covers the lung cancer continuum, from risk reduction, tobacco prevention and control, and early detection (screening and incidental lung nodule management) to guideline-based staging, biomarker testing, treatment, and survivorship and overarching issues such as stigma and nihilism, health equity, and tactical approaches such as state coalition efforts and policy initiatives. Applying a multidimensional and multisector approach, over 220 public, private, and government agency member organizations and 250 volunteer experts, patients, and caregiver advocate representatives collaborate to address challenges across the lung cancer continuum by catalyzing action to conceive, build, and strengthen innovative solutions. The wide-ranging membership allows the ACS NLCRT to harness the collective power and expertise of the entire lung cancer community by connecting leaders, communities, and systems to improve equity and access. These national, state, and local relationships provide partnerships for the dissemination of ACS NLCRT-developed tools and resources. This article describes the ACS NLCRT and introduces the series of accompanying and future articles that together make up the ACS NLCRT strategic plan, which provides a roadmap for future research, investment, and collaboration to reduce lung cancer mortality and lung cancer-related stigma and enhance survivorship.

지역사회보장협의체 사회적 자본과 협력적 거버넌스 사례

Focusing on the experiences and best practices of direct participation in field activities for public and private members of the P Community Security Council in Seo-gu, Gwangju, this study attempted to collect and analyze the contents of the focus group interview (FGI), focusing on social capital and cooperative governance cases. Accordingly, a series of conclusions were drawn through focus group interviews (FGI) with executives who belong to the P Community Security Council and are directly participating in case-related activities. This study aims to strengthen the level of work cooperation or joint decision-making among members of the community security council to carry out joint projects by establishing a network with other organizations in the community in terms of cooperative governance, and to establish a network between organizations such as cultivating a sense of common goals, sharing responsibility, and complying with norms and rules. It can be said that it is important to strengthen social ties and communication related to the sense of community participating in the community security council. To this end, it is required to expand the attachment and interest of members of the community of the community security council to the community and draw them as active participants in cooperative governance.

A review of arguments for raising the age of criminal responsibility

ABSTRACT This paper explores the policy debate in Queensland on raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR). The age currently remains at 10, despite reform in other Australian jurisdictions and recommendations to the contrary in a 2018 report from a highly regarded former Police Commissioner. In 2021, a parliamentary committee reviewed a private member’s Bill on the MACR and received 74 public submissions from over 300 individuals, all supporting raising the age. Despite this, the Bill was defeated. This paper reports on a content analysis and reflexive thematic analysis of those submissions to understand (a) the views of a broad range of Queensland organisations and individuals about the MACR and (b) their rationales for supporting raising the age. We found 13 such rationales, with a particular focus on the need for more extensive, appropriate and better integrated services for vulnerable children rather than punitive criminal justice responses, and a concern for worsening impacts on First Nations young people. These findings illustrate community support for both raising the MACR and adopting more evidence-based approaches to youth justice, accompanied by improved approaches to service support. We also briefly consider the counter-arguments against raising the MACR advanced in the Committee’s report.

Weight loss and lifestyle change among high-risk individuals enrolled in a digital diabetes prevention program: A longitudinal study of private and public health insurance members in Western New York

Weight loss is critical to reduce diabetes risk. Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPPs) are effective for weight loss, although less is known about digital DPPs.This study explores the association between Brook+, a 52-week digital DPP, and weight loss. This longitudinal observational study uses a sample of 5,516 private, Medicare, and Medicaid health insurancemembers from Western New York enrolled into Brook+ between December 2020 and December 2022. We used multivariable generalized linear regression models to estimate the association between completion of the Brook+ program,overall and stratified by health insurance type,and 5% weight loss using odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for age and gender. We also estimated average weight loss from baseline associated with high engagement with the program using adjusted linear regression models. In the pooled sample, those who completed the Brook + program had 21% increased odds of 5% weight loss (OR = 1.21 95% CI: (1.02 – 1.44)). Among users enrolled in private, Medicare, and Medicaid health insurance, program completion was associated with 21%, 33%, and 13% increased odds of 5% weight loss, compared to those who did not complete Brook+. Interacting with health coaches, increased physical activity, and meal logging were all significant predictors of weight loss. Our results suggest that digital DPPs are promising for large-scale diabetes prevention via weight loss and lifestyle change.

Do Parliamentary Roles Affect Lobbying Activities? Evidence from the Canadian House of Commons

ABSTRACT In parliamentary systems, private members (i.e. backbenchers) with formal titles and roles can affect the institutional system in which politicians, civil servants and interest groups are embedded. Packing legislative institutions with backbenchers who act as agents of the government but who are not in Cabinet puts certain Members of Parliament in a privileged position with the core executive. We hypothesize that influential positions in Canada’s House of Commons, notably a parliamentary secretary tasked with supporting a minister or a chair of a parliamentary committee, bring increased external pressure from interest group lobbyists. We test these assumptions with data on communications between MPs and interest group lobbyists gathered from the federal Registry of Lobbyists and open data lists found on the website of the Parliament of Canada. Our results show that a parliamentary secretary position or a seat on a standard committee exposes MPs to higher lobbying volumes.

Decent Work in the Cross-Border Supply Chain: A Smart Mix of Legislation and Self-Regulation

Abstract 336This paper deals with the problem of European companies trading with companies in developing countries where fundamental labour rights are being violated. For a long time, this issue was left to the responsibility of European companies on a voluntary basis. Recently, a shift towards hard law in the sense of legal obligations has become visible. The European Commission started a legislative process in 2021 and published a proposal for a due diligence Directive in February 2022 to which the European Parliament responded in first reading on 1 June 2023. In the meanwhile, France and Germany passed legislation, and in the Netherlands and Belgium a private member’s bill was submitted by members of Parliament. All in all, a lot is happening on this subject at both European and national level. Much has been written about the proposals as such but the issue of fundamental labour rights has been underexposed. This paper fills that gap. Central question is as to what extent legislation will lead to an improvement in compliance with fundamental labour rights in the cross-border supply chain. This paper will explore this question on the basis of the said European and national legislative initiatives. It will become clear that the solution lies much more in a mix of hard law and self-regulation and that in the search for a smart mix, lessons can be learned from the Dutch system of private sector-specific agreements.337

Collective Self-Esteem and Well-Being Among College Students in Ghana

Abstract: Collectivist values may influence one’s display of self-esteem. Past research has established an association between psychological well-being and individuals’ appraisal of their value as a member of a social group, self-evaluation as an individual, and perception of others’ evaluation of their group (collective self-esteem). This study examined collective self-esteem, specifically whether private and public collective self-esteem and member self-esteem predicted psychological well-being alongside individual self-esteem in a sample ( N = 416) of university students in Ghana. A linear regression tested the predictive ability of collective self-esteem for depression and anxiety symptoms. The results indicated that while individual self-esteem was related to lower levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, collective self-esteem was unrelated. In our sample of Ghanaian students, these findings suggest that personal self-esteem is more meaningful than collective self-esteem for their psychological well-being. This knowledge is instrumental for informing mental health interventions for this group.

Canada at a Crossroads

Rooted in Canada’s history as a British colony, the Criminal Code defence to “reasonable corrective force” remains in force today. In this article, I trace the history of Canada’s law, describe various attempts made to remove it, and present the many recommendations and calls for repeal issued over recent decades. While Canada has stood still, 65 countries have removed their legal defences and prohibited all corporal punishment of children. At this time, Canada has another opportunity to finally remove this archaic defence, as two Private Members’ Bills have been introduced in the House of Commons and the Senate, respectively. By seizing this opportunity, Canada will demonstrate its commitments to children’s rights to protection and dignity, and uphold its pledges to end violence against children and women in Canada.

Something in the air

This paper considers the issue of environmental racism as it relates to Indigenous and Black communities in Canada. Although the climate crisis affects us all, certain communities have felt the effects of environmental degradation more acutely and for a longer period. Environmental policy or practice that disproportionately disadvantages a racial group is an example of environmental racism. The article examines different policy responses to environmental racism in a Canadian context. The paper looks at proposed avenues for addressing environmental racism through the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Private Members Bills, Senate Bills or the new Federal Housing Advocate position associated with the Canadian Human Rights Commission. It also examines a number of grassroots initiatives taking action against environmental racism. The article argues that having the right to a healthy environment encoded in the Charter is the best option for policy reform and that grassroots organizations working in coalitions continue to make meaningful social change as the policy battle continues. 
 
 How it fits theme:
 The political power of the Canadian government has important implications for all citizens, but that power is not exerted equally against all sectors of society. There is implicit power in policy and practice that has lived consequences for those living in communities that experience systemic inequalities in healthcare, employment, and environment. However, these systemic barriers do not render individuals powerless. Grassroots movements are the fundamental origin of all civil rights victories experienced thus far, and will continue to have an integral role in changing the balance of power for generations to come. The example of environmental racism in Canada is a good place to examine the role of state power in racialized communities. At the same time, the individuals fighting against environmental racism through policy and social movements simultaneously are an inspiring example of resistance in praxis.

Penalizing women MPs: the approval of women-initiated bills in the Turkish parliament

ABSTRACT This article examines the effect of female bill authorship on bill approval. The analysis focuses on the Turkish Parliament between 2002 and 2015. During this time, the Islamic Justice and Development Party controlled the country’s government and a parliamentary majority, and gender issues became central to political discourse. Using a novel data set of content-coded private members’ bills, we evaluate whether gender affected bill approval. The analysis sheds light on gender discrimination, and the impact women MPs have on the corpus of laws that govern the country. The results reveal that bills initiated by women did not receive a similar treatment to those initiated by men. All else equal, these bills were less likely to become law.

Reevaluating the policy success of private members bills

Members of parliament routinely submit private bills. Yet, a minority of these bills are enacted. Existing research suggests that, because of the low enaction rates of private members' bills, policymaking motivation is not the primary purpose of members of parliament in submitting these bills. We question this assumption and argue that existing research examines the policy effect of Private Member Bills (PMB) too narrowly. Taking a policy process perspective, we propose, first, that a more accurate assessment of the success rate of private members' bills should look only at the bills entering the legislative process. Second, we propose that the policy effect of private members' bills should not be limited to the end result of enactment, but rather to examine their effect on the agenda-setting stage. We demonstrate these propositions using the case of private members' bills in Israel, a country that has one of the highest rates of PMBs and has institutionalized the process of evaluating them. The study provides a better understanding of private members' bills in parliamentary democracies.

Diasporic capital and the financialisation of housing in Ho Chi Minh City

In recent years, policymakers and development practitioners have focused on the potential of remittances for economic growth. The World Bank projects that remittances will soon outpace overseas aid and foreign direct investment combined in low- and middle-income countries. This article examines how remittances, or what I call ‘diasporic capital’, sustain urban financialisation at multiple scales. Most research on urban restructuring in the financialisation literature has focused on major corporations, management actors and financial markets without considering the specific sources of capital flows. Diasporic capital flow is facilitated through a unique financial architecture and an incoherent regulatory framework distinct from foreign direct investment. Drawing from interviews conducted with government stakeholders, private sector representatives and members of the Vietnamese diaspora, this article examines the actors, motivations, mechanisms, regulations and products that shape and constitute diasporic capital flow. I argue that classical notions of remittances as money supporting the social reproduction of family are outdated and do not reflect emergent forms of diasporic investments in Ho Chi Minh City’s financialised landscape.

An Examination of the Implications of Transformative Leadership on the Perceptions Towards the Workplace

The purpose of this research is to assess the role of transformative leadership on perceptions of faculty members towards the workplace. Workplace perceptions refer to how individuals feel, believe, and behave in various aspects of their work, environment, and colleagues. This study seeks to differentiate the perceptions of faculty members working in private and government institutions/colleges in the Ghaziabad District, Uttar Pradesh. Satisfaction at the workplace and commitment towards the workplace are the two variables considered for the study. This study is based on survey data from 160 faculty members using the Likert Scale. A chi-square test was used to test the effect of transformational leadership on workplace perceptions. The correlation coefficient is used to explore the association between perceptions of faculty members. Responses were collected through subjective sampling and analysis. In line with prior research, transformative leadership is found to have a significant impact on satisfaction and commitment toward the workplace. It is revealed in this study, that transformative leadership (TL) has a significant effect on the perception of the workplace of faculty members working in both Private and Government Institutes. The study also examined the correlation between the faculty members of private and government institutes and presented an adverse association between the two. The results cannot be generalized to other parts of the state/country and elsewhere as they are limited to a specific region only due to different policies and mindsets of the employees that differ from place to place.

COMPARATIVE STUDY IN THE LIGHT OF HERZBERG’S TWO FACTOR THEORY OF JOB SATISFACTION AMONG ACADEMIC STAFF IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR UNIVERSITIES OF ISLAMABAD

In light of Herzberg's two-factor theory, the primary goal of this paper is to investigate the job satisfaction of the faculty members of private and public sector universities in Islamabad with specific reference to hygiene and motivation factors. For the purpose the sample contained 150 staff of private and public universities of Islamabad. The data collection was carried out through Minnesota Questionnaire as a tool of job satisfaction. The sampling techniques of proportional, stratified sampling was selected. The data was analyzed through quantitative method by using the SPSS 21st edition named as Statistical Package for social science. The results were reflected by using independent samples t-test. According to the study's findings the hygiene factor has significant impact on job satisfaction of participants with reference to Salary, Status, Work Conditions, Interpersonal Relationship with Subordinates and Possibility for Personal Growth besides motivational elements such as recognition and achievement. The data shows that high motivational level is found in public universities faculty member than the private sector universities.

Energy Politics and Justice: An Ecofeminist Ethical Analysis of the Swedish Parliamentarian Debate

ABSTRACT We contribute to the scientific debate by studying the storylines, discourses and related normative judgments in parliamentary motions by private members of the Swedish parliament from the time period 2010–2019. The paper makes use of an ecofeminist theoretical framework to problematize these storylines, discourses and normative judgments. We conclude that the focus in the material is on economic and technical issues, while issues of justice play a marginal role. None of the important dimensions of energy justice are adequately considered and many of the dominant storylines and discourses are based on the implicit assumption that issues of justice are insignificant.

Schedules of condition and final inspections : Are they required under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996?

This paper is an exploratory study into whether schedules of condition and final inspections are required under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 (‘the Act’). It is common practice among party wall surveyors to gain access to adjoining owners’ properties to prepare a schedule of condition before the notified works commence and inspect upon the completion of the awarded works. There would, however, appear to be a tension between the statute itself and common practice, because the terms ‘schedule of condition’ and ‘final inspection’ are not included in the Act. It is the absence of these terms which has dictated the exploratory nature of this paper, drawing on various sources, including parliamentary debates at the time the Act was in the form of a Private Member’s Bill, the writing of an eminent surveyor who was chairman of the working party advising the legislators, and practising surveyors and lawyers. Consideration is given to the extent to which assumptions expressed in Parliament may have failed to find their way into the Act. My exploration is consideration of any distinction between statutory duty, professional duty, good practice and proportionality; a corollary to the duties and conduct of appointed surveyors is the problem of delegation in their quasi-judicial role.

Common Information Space Union State: Formation Issues

The article is devoted to the formation of a common information space of the Union State. The Union State, as an interstate entity of a new type, forms a common information space in which the interests of the Union State, the states that make up it, and the citizens of Belarus and Russia — citizens of the Union State should be taken into account. Accordingly, the legal framework of the common information space should also be formed, based on the regulatory legal framework of the private member States of the Treaty on the Creation of the Union State.It is necessary to prepare new conceptual documents defining the priority directions of its development. One of the options could be the development of a Concept for the development of the Information Space of the Union State, which, in the absence of the Union Bases of legislation, could become a reference point for the state authorities of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation and determine the directions of convergence of national legislation in this area.

Interplay between corporate social responsibility and organizational green culture and their role in employees’ responsible behavior towards the environment and society

Organizational green culture and corporate social responsibility are known for their significant role in organizational and societal development. However, it is rarely known whether such corporate activities inspire their employees to act in an environmentally and socially responsible fashion outside their firms or not. Following the Operant Conditioning theory, the current research analyzes the link between CSR and OGC and their role in workers’ responsible behavior toward the environment and society at the individual level outside their organization. Data were collected from members of private and public manufacturing and services firms and analyzed via structural equation modeling, which indicated that OGC significantly inspires workers to behave environmentally and socially responsible manner outside their firms. However, an insignificant relationship is found between organizational CSR activities and employees' responsible behavior towards the environment and society, suggesting that employees only show this behavior within the organizations. Moreover, firms having green culture actively participate in CSR activities. This research is among the pioneer investigations that focus on promoting workers' environmentally and socially responsible behavior, which can serve as a foundation to transform society into a sustainable civilization.