East Dunbartonshire MP John Nicolson has won the right to introduce a private members bill ahead of the rest of Westminster.

The SNP MP was drawn in first place in the annual lottery amongst his fellow MPs. Three other SNP MPs, Mhairi Black, Elidih Whiteford and Roger Mullin were also among the 20 MPs selected.

Nicolson will now be able to draw up a prospective change in the law on any subject with the exception of anything which could be a new tax on citizens or something which would require the government to spend taxpayers money.

The prospective bills will be first read in the Commons on June 29.

After they have been introduced the bills will be designated a day to be next debated. Private members bills will be debated on 13 Fridays throughout the 2016 - 2017 session running until March 24, 2017.

In the last session of parliament, four private members bills drawn on the ballot became law:

Those MPs lucky enough to be successful in the lottery can expect to be lobbied by other MPs who will be trying to introduce a particular piece of legislation.