Contributions
781 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Seventeenth sitting)I rise to speak to amendments 341, 338 and 412 together, and I welcome the debate on these important amendments. Choice is one of the key tenets of the Bill, primarily—but not…04 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Sixteenth sitting)To be clear on the multidisciplinary approach, the point that I was making in that contribution was that that happens already. We are misrepresenting what goes on in current…04 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Sixteenth sitting)I just want to let the hon. Gentleman and the Committee know that I met my hon. Friend the Member for East Thanet last night, and I am delighted to support her amendment 108.04 Mar 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fourteenth sitting)Is my hon. Friend reassured, as I am, that although we are focusing here on one conversation, we know from the provisions in the Bill that there will be multiple conversations?…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fourteenth sitting)I want to concur briefly with my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud; I have done a lot of research into this, believe me. We have the GMC, the British Medical Association and…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fourteenth sitting)I am not saying that this amendment would make it more dangerous, but it would overcomplicate things. That is the point that my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud was making. We…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fourteenth sitting)To be clear, the word “independent” means independent of the other doctor, not independent of the patient. The independent doctor could well know the patient. I hope that that…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fourteenth sitting)It is not guaranteed.26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)The hon. Member for East Wiltshire seemed reassured by the fact that there will be training in the Bill—it is on the face of the Bill and will therefore definitely take place—26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)I am pretty confident that an amendment is going to be tabled, if it has not been already, that would change that “may” to “must” in the clause on codes of practice.26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)Does my hon. Friend acknowledge that it could be a problem and an area of concern if we have two Members who have both read an amendment but have different interpretations of it?26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)It is a pleasure to see you in the Chair, Mrs Harris. I welcome another good debate on capacity, following our thorough deliberations a couple of weeks ago. In that debate, I made…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)I will speak to the amendment shortly, but will the right hon. Gentleman take a commitment from me that I will happily join him in those conversations if it is at all helpful?26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)The hon. Member is making an important point. As someone with friends who have children with Down’s who, as he says, absolutely have very fulfilling lives, I hear every word that…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)On that point, I fundamentally disagree, although I will stand corrected by medical colleagues. I do not think that the doctor in this instance is making any suggestion; what they…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)It is not a recommendation.26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)The hon. Member makes a valid point about the circumstances in which this option would be considered a valid choice for a patient. That brings us back to the fact that we are…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)The concept of a suggestion is also not particularly accurate—it is a choice, in the same way that the other options are a choice. Families could only ask for this conversation if…26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)rose —26 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Fifteenth sitting)In the interests of balance, would my hon. Friend also acknowledge the testimonies we heard from Dr Jane Neerkin, Dr Sam Ahmedzai and other palliative care specialists who had a…26 Feb 2025