Introduction
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 current version of the Bill can be found here, as can details of its further stages through Parliament. An impact assessment, an equality impact assessment and a human rights memorandum have also been published (note the first two have been corrected since publication – the links take you to the current versions).
The House of Commons Library has produced a very helpful Research Briefing on the Bill’s progress (9 May). There is also a useful blog from the Institute for Government about the Bill’s progress, and the Hansard Society has a useful ‘rolling news‘ page on it (including an interview with Dame Elizabeth Gardiner, who drafted the Bill).
The Public Bill Committee scrutinising the Bill issued a call for evidence (6 January). The written evidence submitted (including from me) can be found here (I anticipate that the list will get longer). It is no longer accepting evidence. Transcripts of the oral evidence sessions held between 28 January and 30 January can be found here.
To see what amendments were made to the Bill, and by whom, at the Public Bill Committee, you can look at this (unofficial) version of the Bill I prepared following the Committee stage (note, at the point of preparing it, it was unclear precisely where some of the new clauses were going to be located; not all my guesses were correct).
Proposed amendments to the Bill can be found here, ahead of the second day Report stage in the House of Commons scheduled for 13 May 2025. Kim Leadbeater MP has proposed a significant number of amendments. As they are overwhelmingly likely to be adopted, I have I have prepared an unofficial version of the Bill as it would look if they were adopted.
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 (updated most recently on 29 March 2025) which Parliament may consider need answering; my written evidence to the Bill Committee can be found here, and my oral evidence here. I am also part of the Complex Life and Death Decisions research group which submitted written evidence to be found here. Professor Gareth Owen (also part of this group) gave oral evidence to the Bill Committee to be found here.
Probing the Bill
Those who want to think more about the issues to which the Bill gives may find useful the following:
- This explainer I recorded around myths about capacity that emerged during the Bill Committee
- This recording of a webinar held on 2 April by 39 Essex Chambers together with the KCL-led Complex Life and Death Decisions Group with an update on the Bill and emerging flashpoints
- This podcast episode from the 1 Crown Office Row-hosted Law Pod UK in which Rosalind English and I reflect on the Bill so far. Part 2, in which the Canadian experience is discussed with Dr Mona Gupta and I is here.
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 impact assessment published on 2 May contains (at page 103) a useful breakdown of which professional bodies have adopted what views – and, importantly – the percentages in any consultation exercises underpinning those views.
The view of the British Medical Association can be found here, and its wider work on what it calls physician assisted dying here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here, the oral evidence given by Dr Andrew Green on the BMA’s behalf can be found here here.
The General Medical Council’s views can be found in the oral evidence given by Mark Swindells to the Bill Committee on the GMC’s behalf, to be found here.
The view of the Royal College of Physicians can be found here (updated on 9 May 2025).
The view of the Royal College of GPs can be found here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here, and the oral evidence given on their behalf by Dr Michael Mulholland can be found here.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges submitted written evidence to the Bill Committee to be found here.
The view of the Association of Palliative Medicine can be found here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here, and the oral evidence given on their behalf by Dr Sarah Cox is to be found here.
The view of the Royal College of Psychiatrists can be found here (updated 13 May). The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here, and the oral evidence given on their behalf by Dr Annabel Price can be found here.
The view of the Royal College of Pathologists can be found here.
The view of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society can be found here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here.
The view of Hospice UK can be found here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee can be found here, and the oral evidence given on their behalf by Sam Royston is to be found here.
The view of the British Geriatric Society can be found here. The written evidence they submitted to the Bill Committee 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 provided this advice (alongside NHSE) for doctors in relation to debates around the Bill. Professor Sir Chris Whitty gave oral evidence to the Bill Committee to be found here.
Solicitors are not mentioned in the Bill, but will have important roles (not least in advising people about and potentially representing people before the Tribunal). The views of the Law Society of England & Wales can be found here.
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; Professor Nicola Ranger gave oral evidence on behalf of the College, to be found here (along with the evidence of Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, NHS England).
Whilst social workers are not included in the Bill, the view of the British Association of Social Workers can be found here (and their written evidence to the Bill Committee here), and the Association of Palliative Care Social Workers here; Glyn Berry gave oral evidence to the Committee on behalf of the Association, to be found here. The Association also published a response to the impact assessment published by the DHSC.
Finally, the Children’s Commissioner published on 7 May a report on children’s views on assisted dying, noting that children had not been consulted on it at any stage.
Human rights considerations
A human rights memorandum prepared by the Department of Health and Social Care can be found here.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has set out its view here. The Commission did not submit written evidence to the Committee, but the Commission’s Chair, Baroness Falkner, gave evidence which can be found here.
The British Institute of Human Rights has set out its view here.
Liberty has set out its view here.
Disclaimer
For the avoidance of any doubt, any views I have set out on this page, or on pages linked to it which express views on the Bill, are mine alone, and do not represent the views of organisations I am affiliated with or working with an ongoing basis.
