This page contains resources relating to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill introduced as a Private Member’s Bill by Kim Leadbeater MP. The Bill can be found here, as can details of its further stages through Parliament (there is, as yet, no impact assessment or the other materials that would be associated with a Government Bill). There is also a useful blog from the Institute for Government about the Bill’s progress.
The Public Bill Committee scrutinising the Bill has issued a call for evidence (6 January). In its call, it notes the following:
The Public Bill Committee is now able to receive written evidence. The sooner you send in your submission, the more time the Committee will have to take it into consideration.
The Public Bill Committee will scrutinise the Bill line by line. The first sitting of the Public Bill Committee is expected to take place later this month. However, please note that when the Committee concludes its consideration of the Bill it is no longer able to receive written evidence. You are strongly advised to submit your written evidence as soon as possible.
Proposed amendments by members of the Public Bill Committee have started (9 January) to be published, and can be found here.
Background and context
The background to the Bill is set out in this Research Briefing from the House of Commons Library. A wider review of the area can be found in the February 2024 report of the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into Assisted Dying / Assisted Suicide (the Select Committee recognising that there is not a consensus as to the name).
How this Bill compares with other legislation proposed or on foot around the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies can be seen here. The British Medical Association also has extensive resources on similar legislation around the world.
The Bill itself
Seeking to assist in ensuring that whatever law is passed is good law, I have asked a number of questions of the Bill here which Parliament may consider need answering at Committee stage. I have previously led on evidence submitted by the Complex Life and Death Decisions research group to the Health and Social Care Committee’s inquiry on capacity, which features prominently in the Bill.
Given the prominence of the High Court in the Bill, it may be of interest to some to see this table of cases decided in Canada in a period in 2016 when the equivalent of High Court judges were deciding applications brought by individuals seeking (in effect) confirmation that they met the criteria for assisted dying.
The views of relevant professional bodies
A number of bodies representing key professionals or organisations who will be directly involved in the implementation of any legislation have set out their views in relation either to the Bill specifically, or assisted dying / assisted suicide more broadly. I will seek to keep this current – if I have missed anything, or missed off a body, please do email me at alex.ruckkeene@39essex.com
The view of the British Medical Association can be found here, and its wider work on what it calls physician assisted dying here.
The view of the Royal College of Physicians can be found here.
The view of the Royal College of GPs can be found here.
The view of the Association of Palliative Medicine can be found here.
The view of the Royal College of Psychiatrists can be found here.
The view of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society can be found here.
The view of Hospice UK can be found here.
The view of the British Geriatric Society can be found here.
The judiciary will have a key role under the Bill, but there is as yet no public statement from (for instance) the Lady Chief Justice.
The Chief Medical Officers will have an important role; they have not yet made a public statement about their role, but have provided this advice (alongside NHSE) for doctors in relation to debates around the Bill.
Coroners will have a (limited) role, but the Chief Coroner for England & Wales has not yet made a public statement.
The Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency may well have an important role in terms of approval of the substances to be used, but as yet has not yet made a public statement.
Whilst nurses are not mentioned in the Bill, the views of the Royal College of Nursing can be found here.
Whilst social workers are not included in the Bill, the view of the British Association of Social Workers can be found here, and the Association of Palliative Care Social Workers here.
Human rights considerations
There is no human rights memorandum from the Government to set out its views.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has set out its view here.
The British Institute of Human Rights has set out its view here.
Liberty has set out its view here.
