The ballot is an annual Parliamentary event

The first 20 MPs' names pulled from a hat are given Parliamentary time to put forward a law of their choice.

Normally only the first six or seven names chosen in the ballot have a serious chance of getting their bill through the Commons and Lords.

But with an election widely expected to take place in May 2005 it will be even more difficult to get a law through.

Abortion law

Nigel Evans, a Tory party vice-chairman, came second in the ballot with Labour's Stephen Hepburn third.

Top 10 in the ballot Patrick Mercer Nigel Evans Stephen Hepburn Julie Morgan Kevin Barron Kevan Jones Sir Paul Beresford Michael Weir Marsha Singh Gerald Howarth

A high profile example of a private members' bill was the 1967 Abortion Act sponsored by David Steel.

Recent examples of private members' bills include Hamilton South MP Bill Tynan's bid to crackdown on fireworks and an attempt to ban fox hunting by Worcester City MP Michael Foster.

And last year Labour's Kevan Jones managed to get his Bill banning shops from opening on Christmas day into law. Then, as with this year, he came sixth.