I have prepared an entirely unofficial version of the Bill with the amendments to 20 March 2025. It is available here, and also on my Bill resources page here. The formatting does not look very attractive, but it is hopefully useable. I have sought to set out the amendments made (with a note of the number of the amendment, and the MP who moved it) in good faith, but cannot promise that this is error-free. If you have any corrections, please email them to me at alex.ruckkeene@39essex.com and I shall seek to update this as soon as my other commitments permit.
The next date of the Public Bill Committee will be Tuesday 25 March when clause 32 will be considered – although buried deep in the Bill, it is one of the most important. Seeking to assist in ensuring that whatever law is passed is good law, I noted in my evidence to the Bill Committee (written here, and oral here):
This clause as drafted gives rise to an ambiguity as to whether the purpose of this Bill is:
(a) simply to legalise the provision of assistance in dying by willing medical professionals; or
(b) whether it is to bring about a framework within which any qualifying person who wishes assistance must be provided with it.
It appears that it is the latter, which raises fundamental questions about:
a. How the costs of such assistance are to be met;
b. How to secure that there is equitable access to such assistance; and
c. How the mandatory provision of such assistance sits alongside the (statutory, contractual and ethical) obligations of medical professionals delivering care and treatment within the NHS.
