Contributions
308 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty First sitting)I had virtually finished, but I give way.11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twentieth sitting)The amendment is good practice; I do not in any way deny that. The hon. Member for Reigate is obviously coming from a really good place. However, the amendment is almost like…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty First sitting)I thank my hon. Friend the Member for York Central for tabling the amendment. The crucial word that the hon. Member for East Wiltshire said in all that was “should”. It is really…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twentieth sitting)Has it? Okay. I thank my hon. Friend. The amendments in this group all come from a good place, and I understand where hon. Members are coming from, but I do not feel that anything…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twentieth sitting)As the amendment states, it is about examining medical records for things that are relevant. If we are talking about coercion or capacity, these sorts of items will be relevant. I…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twentieth sitting)Actually no, I will not. I will go on, if that is okay. Amendment 459 states that the second-opinion doctor “must produce a report” outlining their reasons for reaching a…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twentieth sitting)I do not see what that would add to the Bill. The co-ordinating doctor would have a result and the patient would have had the report back. I do not feel the amendment is…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty First sitting)We are not doing that in situations of terminal care—we are allowing someone to die. We are very experienced in allowing people to die. I have done it for 25 years. It is not a…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Twenty First sitting)The hon. Gentleman is bringing up lots of rather horrible stories about assisted death. That is why, in Australia, Switzerland and Holland, they have decided, instead of using the…11 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)That is an interesting point, but we are not discussing organ donation, and we are dealing in a different environment here; the patients we are talking about are about to die, and…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)This is just a point of accuracy: I think we are all going to support amendment 6, which would make it obligatory to refer to psychiatry if there were any doubts.05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I am grateful that you have not intervened as well, Mrs Harris. You did say that I am allowed to call you “you”. I will finish on this serious point. Amendment 6 has much power,…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)Fair enough. Thank you, Mrs Harris. I was warned yesterday not to take interventions and I should have followed that advice.05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)Sorry, could you make that point again? I did not quite understand it.05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I completely agree with the right hon. Gentleman. By amending clause 12 to include social workers, who specialise in spotting coercion, there would be a psychological component in…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I apologise to my hon. Friend; I will continue for a little bit. We use secondary care and psychiatrists when we have a doubt about our decisions. If we have a doubt, then it is…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I agree with all of this. I think psychological assessment is incredibly important in all patients, and I personally specialise in it from a primary care basis. But we are…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I apologise, Mrs Harris—I have got slightly confused with all the amendments. I do not have a speech that has been prepared for me, or anything like that, but I would like to make…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)Could I ask which amendment the hon. Member is talking about? Is it 284 or 6? Amendment 284 says that psychiatric assessment is mandatory in all cases, whereas amendment 6 says it…05 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Nineteeth sitting)I think it would create a barrier. We need to make sure that we deliver legislation that does what we are trying to do, which is to enable someone with a terminal illness, who has…05 Mar 2025