The Climate Change & Sustainable Energy Bill, the Private Members' Bill introduced by Mark Lazarowicz, MP for Edinburgh North & Leith, has successfully passed a crucial stage in the Parliamentary procedure.

On Friday 17 March, it completed its "Report Stage" in the House of Commons. It still has to pass its final "Third Reading", which was not completed on the 17 March (mainly due once again to lengthy speeches by 2 MPs), and that Third Reading will now take place on Friday 12 May. Although it is still possible for MPs to attempt to
"talk out" a Bill at Third Reading, it is much more difficult under Parliamentary rules to do that.

Mark Lazarowicz said: "I am obviously glad that the Bill has reached this stage in the process of becoming law, but the 12th May debate is still a hurdle to jump. It is essential that at least 100 MPs are there on the day, to prevent it being lost (along with another important Private Members' Bill that day)."

If the Bill does finish its House of Commons stages on 12 May, it still has to pass through the House of Lords, but it is hoped that it will not face the same difficulties there as it has had in passing through the House of Commons.