Every year I have put my name down on the Private Member’s Bill ballot – just in case I am lucky enough to be drawn – and for the past four years, I have failed miserably to get any slot for my own piece of legislation.

Then, one morning in November 2009, I got up and switched on my BlackBerry (which had been charging overnight) and received instantly about 500 emails begging and pleading with me to take up a variety of good causes in my Bill. By the time I had reached my Commons office, it was over 1,000 emails. And a few days later, the snail mail had started to drop on my desk too!

Actually I think the ballot was a Mancunian “fix” this year – all top three slots went to Greater Manchester Labour MPs (Dr Brian Iddon, David Chaytor and myself).

I have spent a great deal of time considering which issue I should take forward and that’s no easy task… everyone wants to be your friend! But when I was elected to Parliament one of my personal pledges was to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves in this world.

One of the things I have personally been concerned about has been the operation of so called “vulture funds” whereby a small number of investment companies buy up the defaulted debts of the world’s poorest countries at very low prices and then take them to court to aggressively recoup the debts at full value. So after long consideration this is the issue I have decided to deal with through my Private Member’s Bill.

Very recently in the UK High Court two investment funds won the right to recover over £20m from Liberia, one of the poorest countries in the world. This was for an initial loan in the 1970s of only £6m. Surely this is money that could be better spent on things such as health and education by the Liberian Government?

For too long, some companies have been allowed to get away with exploiting the debt relief received by developing countries for their own profit; taking vital resources away from those that need it most.

The second reading debate is next Friday, 26th February. For health reasons, I am unable to personally present the bill, but kindly the whips’ and the Speaker have allowed me to be able to have it presented by another member (Sally Keeble has agreed to do this) although the Bill remains in my name.

In all seriousness, I’m not entirely sure how likely my Bill is to make it onto the statute book. The timing of the General Election and the dissolution of Parliament will to some extent determine that. But we’ll give it a go and hopefully help to change the world in a small way!

For more information, see the Jubilee Debt Campaign.

The text of the Bill and explanatory notes can now be found here.