The First Reading of the The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was heard in the House of Commons on October 16th, which is attempting to legalise assisted dying in Britain for the first time in almost 10 years. Kim Leadbeater, a Labour politician read out the Bill Name on Wednesday.
The bill has been written to allow terminally ill adults, ‘subject to safeguards and protections, to request and be provided with assistance to end their own life.’ It is expected to be restricted to mentally competent adults with six months left to live.
If voting takes place, which is not guaranteed, PM Sir Keir Starmer has promised a ‘free vote’, which means that the Members of Parliament will not be required to vote based on their party’s views, but rather vote for their personal preference.
This is not the first assisted dying bill that has been brought to Parliament, with a 2015 bill going before the House of Commons having been rejected by the Members of Parliament at that time. Additionally, a bill reached the second stage at the House of lords within the 2021/22 session.
A debate on this current Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is due to take place on November 29th
Currently, assisted suicide is illegal in England and Wales, and carries a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment.
In other countries, however, assisted suicide is provided legally provided it has been prescribed by a doctor, and the individual meets a number of qualifying criterias. It is currently legal in Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, parts of the United States, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Belgium and Luxembourg.
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