A PROPOSED law change put forward by a Dorset MP has cleared the House of Commons in a single sitting for the first time in more than 20 years.

Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope’s Mobile Homes (Pitch Fees) Bill was given a series of short unopposed readings in a single sitting of the Commons.

The Private Member’s Bill from the Conservative backbencher is aimed at reforming how charges for pitching mobile homes are calculated.

It would change how pitch fee reviews rise in line with inflation to lower costs for mobile homeowners, moving from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index.

All Bills introduced into Parliament are usually scrutinised over several stages in the Commons during the course of a year.

But Sir Christopher’s Bill passed through all its stages unopposed in one sitting, with Commons Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing remarking on the extreme shortness of its passage.

“Three minutes and 11 seconds,” she told MPs as it cleared its third reading.

Sir Christopher told the Commons: “May I just thank everybody for facilitating this.

"I think it is the first time since 1998 that a Private Member’s Bill has gone through all its stages at one sitting.”

Dame Eleanor responded: “I believe that to be correct. It is the first time.”

To laughter from MPs, she added: “Many a worthy Bill has appeared to have support off all Members but one. It is noticeable that this particular Bill is brought by that very Member and its worthiness has therefore outweighed its procedural position. Interesting and notable.”

Sir Christopher is known for often objecting to giving other MPs’ Private Members’ Bills further readings, leading them to run out of parliamentary time to make their case for changing the law.

Raising a point of order, Labour MP Maria Eagle complained that in contrast with Sir Christopher’s Bill, her Public Advocate Bill has been stuck in parliamentary limbo for years.

The Garston and Halewood MP told the Commons: “Have we not just seen in swift time how a worthy Bill can be dealt with in this chamber?

“The Public Advocate Bill that has just been objected to today has been brought to this House by me since 2016.

“It has widespread support across the House, including many senior Members, and yet it is still being objected to. I have not received any notification as to why.”

She added: “This kind of Bill would help prevent families caught up in public disasters, like the Hillsborough families, from having to go through the heartache that they do, yet we are still seeing objections to it that are not brought forward.

“Isn’t it a farce that we can see one Bill go through in three minutes, and yet this Bill has been objected to every year since 2016?”

Dame Eleanor replied: “I fully appreciate the point of order that she makes. I have heard her speak to her Bill on a few occasions in this chamber.

“It is not for me to judge whether it is a worthy Bill but I have noted that it has widespread support.

“There is indeed often a feeling here in the chamber on a Friday that some Bills which have been looked at, considered, debated, amended, and have considerable support from all political perspectives should probably be given a fairer wind.”

Ms Eagle’s Bill is due to be considered by MPs again on December 9.

Sir Christopher’s Bill will meanwhile be considered by the House of Lords in the near future.