Welcome to the Private Bills pages.

Private Bill Committees play an important part in the work of the Parliament. They are specifically established to consider a particular Private Bill.

A Private Bill is introduced by a promoter, who may be a person, a company or a group of people, for the purpose of obtaining particular powers or benefits that are in addition to, or in conflict with, the general law. Private Bills generally relate to development projects, the use of land, or the property or status of the promoter. For example, the National Galleries of Scotland Bill granted powers to the Trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland to complete the Playfair Project which was a series of improvements undertaken by the National Gallery and the Royal Scottish Academy. The Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Bill granted powers to Clackmannanshire Council required for the reconstruction of the railway between Stirling and Kincardine.

Private Bills are subject to a parliamentary process in which MSPs take part as members of the committee. Private Bills are different to other Bills in that they involve measures sought in the private interests of the promoter, and to which others may object. The role of the Parliament is to consider the Bill and to arbitrate between the promoter and objectors. Those people that do participate in the process are given ongoing procedural guidance and assistance by the clerks in the Private Bills Unit. For more information on how to object to a Private Bill please follow this link Information for Objectors to Private Bills or view this leaflet (pdf). Further information about the Private Bill process can be obtained from the Guidance on Private Bills. Alternatively the Private Bills Unit can be contacted by telephoning 0131 348 6789.

Private Bills are subject to a three Stage process.

• Preliminary Stage
• Consideration Stage
• Final Stage

For information about current Private Bill Committees - their membership, current and future work, reports and other papers - choose from the list below.