Parliamentary agents

Where a public or private body needs to obtain special legislation of its own, it will invariably seek the advice of a Parliamentary Agent. We have 130 years of experience in specialising in the promotion of and opposition to legislation at every level.

Only those on "Roll A" of Parliamentary Agents held in the Houses of Parliament are entitled to conduct the promotion of private legislation. Alastair Lewis is a Roll A agent and since 2000 has promoted more private Bills to Royal Assent than any other Roll A agent. He is recognised as a leader in the field in Chambers Directory. His work has included local authority general powers Acts (including Acts for the London Boroughs and Transport for London), bank reorganisation bills, and other bills promoted for companies and trade unions.

We also draft private members' bills and amendments to government bills, and provide a daily Parliamentary monitoring service to a variety of clients. We promote special parliamentary procedure orders where they are needed for road schemes, we act for petitioners against private and hybrid bills and we also provide general Parliamentary procedural advice.

We act for a number of harbour and port authorities in the promotion of harbour revision and harbour empowerment orders, which are usually required to authorise the construction of harbour infrastructure and set out the powers of the authority.

We also promote and oppose transport and works orders, often in conjunction with our planning team, and have particular experience in promoting heritage railway orders and orders which authorise works in tidal waters.

On 22nd February, the Government introduced the Crossrail hybrid bill in the House of Commons. The Bill will authorise the construction of a new underground railway between Paddington and Liverpool Street, connecting to Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

Those specially and directly affected by the bill (including those whose land is liable to compulsory acquisition) are able to petition Parliament in order to protect their interests. As Parliamentary Agents, we are able to assist in the preparation of petitions and advise throughout the Parliamentary process.

We have already been instructed to act for a number of petitioners, including substantial landowners and local authorities. We are taking new instructions on a first come first served basis, and we anticipate that at some stage we may have to decline new instructions due to sheer numbers. We would therefore advise approaching us sooner rather than later if you wish to instruct us.

Please contact Alastair Lewis on 020 7405 4600 or send an email.