Peers at House of Lords to debate Assisted Dying Bill

Lord Falconer

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Lord FalconerA record number of 130 peers have signed up to debate a bill on Friday, for legalising assisted suicide for adults in Wales and England.

The Assisted Dying Bill, drawn up by former Labour Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer, proposes giving terminally ill patients, who will have a life of less than six months will be attributed the right to request an assisted death – by using lethal drugs.

The patients, who will show the intent to die, should be of sound mind, and two doctors would have to approve.

Lord Falconer has argued about bringing a “limited” change to the law to give the terminally ill individuals a choice on the manner of their deaths.

He has insisted that the “final decision must always be made by the patient”, with safeguards to prevent “abuse” of the law.

However, Lord Tebbit has told it would create “too much of a financial incentive for the taking of life”.

The supporters of the move are of the opinion that the bill would give people control over their death and its time.

However, the opponents argue this is not just about cancer sufferers.

Paralympian peer Tanni Grey-Thompson has told of a wide range of disabilities with which people could be diagnosed of being close to death at a bad time of year – but then live for many more years than expected.

Another adviser to the Welsh government on palliative care, Baroness Ilora Finlay has said it would be “too dangerous” if the bill get legalised.

She has told: “This is about a right to have somebody assist your suicide, aiding and abetting your suicide.

“It’s too dangerous to allow the law to be changed so that somebody else assists and abets your suicide when there are no proper safeguards in this bill.”

It is highly likely that the bill will get a second reading in the Lords, but without government backing MPs are unlikely to have any chance to discuss it in the Commons, meaning it will not become law.

Prime Minister David Cameron has told of not being “convinced” by the arguments for legalising assisted dying.

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