Contributions
781 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am not quite sure I understand the point. My point is that there is no law that is checking people’s motivations for ending their lives when they are terminally ill, and that is…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)As someone who lives with someone who has a very severe morphine allergy, I can assure the hon. Gentleman that those things do exist and are very real, and they create a huge…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am concerned that the hon. Member did exactly what we are in danger of doing by saying, “Whether it’s under influence, whether it’s pressure, whether it’s coercion, whether it’s…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I am very open minded on these issues, but are the amendments trying to stop someone giving someone else confidence or supporting them to do something? That would feel wrong.12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I might have missed it this morning, but what definition of “encouragement” are the hon. Gentleman and the hon. Member for Reigate proposing to use? Having looked at various…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)On that point, the evidence does not clearly show that there is a direct relationship between those two things; there are other factors and no way of knowing that. On the concept…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)For me, the law needs to change for a number of reasons, and we will talk about some of them as Committee proceedings continue: autonomy, dignity, personal choice and bodily…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)On that point, and in response to the comment made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford West, although I stand to be corrected by my hon. Friend the Member for Rother Valley,…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)I am very supportive of the sentiment behind my hon. Friend’s amendments, and she is making some really good points. Again, the question is about the simplicity of the language…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)My hon. Friend is making some powerful and important points about, sadly, a lot of the ills in society, which we all deal with. Let us take the example of a woman who has a…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)We are looking at different amendments as the Bill progresses, but a judge would always be involved in criminal offences, which is what we are talking about now.12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)Hopefully this will be my final point on this subject. I believe there is consensus in the room; no one is saying that undue influence is acceptable. The question is, where does…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)The hon. Lady is doing an amazing job—and taking lots of interventions. As I have always said, I am very open-minded to whatever we need to do to make the Bill more robust. I am…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)The hon. Lady makes an important point. The idea is that the Bill makes an exception to the Suicide Act. I fully support her point about the supportive nature of the conversations…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Tenth sitting)The witnesses gave evidence in good faith, and I would be uncomfortable if we started to question the validity or truth behind their testimony.12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eleventh sitting)I will speak briefly because we have had a thorough discussion about these issues. I completely understand the sincere intention behind these amendments. It is clear from the…12 Feb 2025HANSARDEngagementsQ3. Two years ago, from the Opposition Benches, I published my “Healthy Britain” report, recommending a cross-departmental approach to improving health and wellbeing. Now that we…12 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eighth sitting)Will the hon. Gentleman give way?11 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eighth sitting)I do not particularly have a question to ask my hon. Friend, but I want to pay tribute to him for engaging so positively with the scrutiny of the Bill and for the very personal…11 Feb 2025HANSARDTerminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Eighth sitting)Will the hon. Gentleman give way?11 Feb 2025