Assisted Dying

Other key policy areas / campaigns

ASSISTED DYING

There have been several attempts over recent years to try and get some form of Euthanasia/ Assisted Dying Bill introduced. The last was in early 2006 as a Private Members Bill by Lord Joffe. This was a Bill on Assisted Suicide, largely based around the model of the State of in . The main change to the Bill is that it will focus solely on physician assisted suicide and not include euthanasia. There are a number of strings attached for the attending physicians and consulting physicians. Some of which are they will have to offer palliative care, making sure that a written request is signed and the patient has to have unbearable suffering.

It had its second reading in the Lords on 12^th May 2006. An amendment was put forward by Lord Carlile to delay the Bill by six months ruling out of this Parliamentary session. This was carried so the Bill has been delayed. Now Lord Joffe will have to try and reintroduce the Bill in this Parliament he has stated that he will try do so. It will depend on whether the Government will allow time for the Bill.

For the Bill to get passed it will have to go through the House of Commons. Most Private members bills need to get the support of the Government in order to succeed. The Government has said that as assisted dying is a moral issue it is a matter of conscience so they will allow a free vote (the Government won't direct its MPs to vote a particular way).

When will this be effective from - Date unknown.

Concerns - The MND Association neither supports nor opposes any attempt to change the law regarding euthanasia or assisted suicide because we believe it is a matter of individual conscience and it is not for the Association to make judgements. However, in advance of any change in the law, we are campaigning to ensure that the very best palliative and terminal care is available to everyone who needs it. Only then will anyone considering ending his or her life early genuinely have a choice.

What we have done - We provided a briefing note to Peers prior to the debates in the Lords. MND has been mentioned in the various Parliamentary debates. In the debate on 12^th May MND was mentioned 8 times including by Lord Joffe and the Arch Bishops of Canterbury, 2 of the main speakers of both sides of the debate.