the objection came from the conservative sir christopher chope, who also won notoriety for opposing ang, one that has just become law after the government intervened. and ministers plan to do the same with the fgm bill. i know we were very disappointed by the decision of one member to block a very important bill. i am delighted to tell the house that i have tabled a motion to be debated in a second reading committee in order that it can make progress. but how will the government overcome this recurring spanner in the legislative works? peter walker is a political correspondent for the guardian, the snp mp alison thewliss sits on the procedure committee, which looks at these things. alison thewliss, won't voters be slightly puzzled how a single mp using one word can block a law that most people seem to think is quite a good idea? it is a pretty arcane bit of procedure but the house is famous for these kinds of things, i suppose, and they are slightly different rules for private members' bills than the rest of legislation. but it is hugely unfair when there has been a debate had and the

people like christopher chope are able to use, or exploit, better than most.procedure committee, what is the answer? we're not sure what the answer is. for my point of view, the balance of power is not right here, that one mp can object. we are going to look to see if there is a better way of getting around this because it can't be this one mp that continues to object. although paradoxically, peter, it looks as though there is one idea that you want to get into law, the best thing is to get christopherjobe to object to it. yes, he objected to the up—skirting bill, he objected to the women's assembly at parliament and now with this, and in all cases, the government steps in and finds the time. so, yes, there is this idea that if there is a private members bill and you want it to get through, you get christopher chope to stand up and shout. isn't the case that any government will be reluctant to give mps more opportunities to scrutinise? we have seen this week that theresa may is ready to fast track the withdrawal agreement when that happens. i think that scruti

the conservative mp sir christopher chope has been condemned for objecting to a bill giving the courtsrotect girls from female genital mutilation. the legislation is a private member's bill, which means it's being sponsored by a backbench mp. on friday, it was stopped from progressing through parliament when sir christopher shouted "object". sir christopher caused a stir last year when he objected to a bill outlawing "upskirting", taking photos under a woman's clothes. at the time, he said his aim was to stop legislation from backbenchers being passed with inadequate scrutiny. but his objection to the fgm bill on friday angered many mps, including some members of the cabinet. the government has now stepped in to support the bill. it is disappointing that the bill was objected to on friday. i am pleased to say that we are breaking to bring back the bill in government time. —— we are working to. that means the bill is now likely to get through the commons. but a liberal democrat said fgm was on the rise and prosecutions remained rare. the sexual prosecution of a mother who did this to he

responsibility for what was a private member's bill introduced by a rank and file mp after sir christopher choperliamentary procedures to stop it going forward last friday. the thing that is really important is private member bills continuing to bring this house into disrepute. this is something that concerns the leader of the house, and the shadow leader of the house and all members. with the leader of the house meet with the chairman of the procedure committee, my self, to discuss how we can ensure committee, my self, to discuss how we can ensure that friday's sale did not bring it down. as jane also second there is something i would not be for those who are really my friends. so i will also meet with him. he raises a very important point. i know all of us were incredibly disappointed and enraged by the decision of one member to block a very important bill, private member's bill, on female genital mutilation. i am delighted to tell the house that i have tabled a motion to allow the bill to be debated in a second reading committee in order that it can make progress. the government has ruled out