Contributions
1,183 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)On a point of order, Mrs Harris. Before I move the next amendment, I wish to correct the record. I do not know if this is the moment to do so, but I wish to correct a mistake I…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-sixth sitting)Well, we have been over the whole question of palliative care and alternatives to assisted suicide; nevertheless, I wanted to challenge that scenario. On the suggestion that there…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I rise to speak to clause 25 as a whole. First, though, I welcome the amendments tabled by the hon. Member for Spen Valley, because I recognise that she is attempting to fix a…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)The amendment would specify that individuals should comply with the codes of practice issued by the Secretary of State. I am glad that the hon. Member for Spen Valley agreed to…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)It may well be that the Minister has clarified the case sufficiently, but will she explain something for my sake? She is suggesting that the pharmacist inadvertently but…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I support the principle of insisting that inducing people by dishonesty, coercion or pressure to kill themselves should be illegal, but my understanding is that it already is. If…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I will be grateful if the Minister or the hon. Member for Spen Valley can explain the situations in which behaviour criminalised by clause 26(2) would not also amount to an…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I am grateful. With great respect to other members of the Committee, I think the hon. Gentleman is the most honest advocate of assisted dying among us, because he genuinely…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I acknowledge the point that the Minister is making. To the point made by my right hon. Friend the Member for North West Hampshire, we are talking not about two categories of…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I respect the difficulty of the position that the Minister is in, but I am afraid that we have to consider hypothetical scenarios, because we are creating law. Does she…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-sixth sitting)There is much to get into, and I will try to respond a bit more when I speak again. I do not want to revisit the whole question of palliative care but, on the scenario set out by…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)That is helpful and makes sense. The only justification for duplication must be that the duplication is only partial, which the Minister has just suggested it is. Not a complete…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)We look forward to the amendments that the Government are working on, but, as part of that process, does the Minister envisage that there will be amendments to NHS legislation…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)It might appear a procedural issue, but does the hon. Lady acknowledge that there is a profound difference between the negative and affirmative procedure? Why is she content that…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)Further to the intervention from the hon. Member for Bradford West, I would like to understand whether the Minister envisages an independent regulator of any sort being…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)Nevertheless, the hon. Lady is proposing that this passes through Parliament, just through the negative procedure. If she thinks there is an appropriate rubberstamp by…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)Absolutely; that is what I am doing. I referenced the debate we had last night, which I hope is within scope, because the suggestion has been either that the Bill insufficiently…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I will respond quickly. My concern is that, as Thomas Teague said, without clause 29 the coroner would be under a statutory duty to investigate. I recognise that there is an…19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)I think the hon. Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge meant the previous Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government—just to be strictly accurate.19 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty-seventh sitting)The concern is that it should be automatic. I just cite Professor Ahmedzai’s recognition of the frequent necessity, or the distinct possibility, of a referral to the coroner being…19 Mar 2025