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Assisted dying bill moves step closer to becoming law, as membership confirmed for critical Committee stage

Kim Leadbeater MP announces membership of Committee which will scrutinise and amend historic Bill, representing range of views, parties and expertise.

Kim Leadbeater MP’s historic private member’s bill on choice at the end of life has moved a step closer to becoming law, as the membership of the Committee which will examine the Bill is announced today (Wednesday 11th December 2024). This comes after a majority of MPs voted to progress the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at its landmark Second Reading debate on November 29th.


The Committee’s membership reflects the range of views expressed in the debate, the make-up of the House of Commons, and relevant expertise including healthcare, law and disability rights. The membership includes Stephen Kinnock MP, the minister responsible for palliative care, and Sarah Sackman KC MP, the minister responsible for courts and legal services. Alongside Kim Leadbeater, members include 13 who voted in favour of the Bill and nine against, with 12 Labour, four Conservative, three Liberal Democrat and one Plaid Cymru MP.


The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would enable terminally ill, mentally competent adults, with a prognosis of six months or less, to have the choice of an assisted death, in addition to existing options for high-quality, person-centred end-of-life care. The Bill will introduce measures to assess eligibility, ensure medical and judicial oversight, and monitor every step of the assisted dying process, with new criminal offences created to protect against any possibility of coercion, providing choice to those that need and want it, and improving protections for all at the end of life.


Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive of Dignity in Dying, said:


“MPs have made history by voting to progress a long-overdue conversation about how we die in this country. This is the furthest an assisted dying Bill has ever reached in the Commons, offering hope to families up and down the country of greater choice and safety at the end of life .


“The vast majority of the British public backs assisted dying reform, with many having witnessed dying relatives suffering traumatic deaths despite end-of-life care, or taking matters into their own hands, either alone and in secret at home or in Switzerland at eye-watering expense. MPs from all sides of this debate acknowledge that our current system does not work. Now the debate rightly moves on to how Parliament can ensure the law is finally fit for how we live and die in the 21st century.”


The announcement comes after a majority of MPs (330) voted for the Bill to progress to Committee Stage last month, with 275 voting against – almost a decade after MPs last voted on the issue. In-depth polling has shown that three-quarters of the British public believe that the law should change, with majority support in every constituency in Great Britain and across all voting intentions.


During the Committee Stage, a cross-party group of MPs will hear expert evidence, scrutinise the Bill line-by-line and propose amendments. For the first time on a Private Members Bill, the Committee will be able to call upon expert external witnesses, after MPs approved a motion brought forward by Ms Leadbeater after the main vote at Second Reading. The Bill Committee will meet before the Christmas recess to agree the programme of work for the new year, with the Committee expected to begin sitting in late January and meet over several weeks.


This is followed by the Report Stage, expected to take place in late April, during which MPs will debate any amendments made by the Committee and have the opportunity to propose further amendments. Then, at a later date, MPs will vote again on the Bill at its Third Reading. If MPs support the Bill at this stage it will move to the House of Lords, where it will also undergo comparable stages of debate, scrutiny and amendments by Peers, before returning to the Commons. There MPs will vote on whether to accept any additional amendments from the Lords, potentially sending the Bill back to the Lords if there is disagreement between the Houses. If MPs and Peers (i.e. both Houses) support the Bill at this final stage, it will be sent for Royal Assent before it becomes law (an Act of Parliament). An implementation period lasting at least two years will then begin, during which training of clinicians, clinical guidelines and service delivery framework will be decided and undertaken, before dying people are able to access assisted dying.


Elise Burns, 50, has terminal breast cancer which has spread to her bones. Elise wants the choice of assisted dying for herself and is considering traveling to Switzerland for an assisted death if the option is not legal in the UK in time for her. Elise said: 


“I’m really pleased that MPs are listening to people like me and voted to progress a Bill that would mean so much to so many in my position. I know that even the best palliative care cannot help everyone and I’m already experiencing significant pain. I’m worried that my pain will increase as my condition worsens and that it will be intolerable at the end of my life. As a result, I am having to seek a compassionate death hundreds of miles away in Switzerland. I would much rather have the choice to do that here, with my family and friends around me, but as it stands, they could be investigated by the police if they accompany me abroad. Also, I will have to go earlier than I would like to, so that I’m well enough to travel there. It costs around £15,000 which is a huge amount of money, and just isn’t an option for most people. This Bill has given me hope that even if the law doesn’t change in time for me, other dying people will get a choice in how they die.”


Sarah Wootton added: 


“Kim Leadbeater is approaching this critical next stage with the fairness and balance that she has applied throughout the process so far. Most acknowledged that the Second Reading showed Parliament at its best. The Bill Committee is a balanced reflection of the views and composition of the Commons as well as the various types of expertise needed to ensure this Bill delivers the best possible result for dying people, their families, and a compassionate society. The public will be looking to MPs to engage constructively as this Bill progresses, with similar proposals in Scotland, the Isle of Man and Jersey also moving forward. Above all, the voices of dying people and bereaved relatives must remain at the very heart of this debate.”


*Ends*
For interview requests please contact Joseph Crook at Dignity in Dying at molly.pike@dignityindying.org.uk or 07356 135578


Notes to Editor: 


The members of the Committee are as follows:
Kim Leadbeater MBE, MP, Labour, Bill sponsor
Stephen Kinnock MP, Labour, voted in favour
Sarah Sackman KC MP, Labour, voted in favour
Bambos Charalambos, MP, Labour, voted in favour
Marie Tidball, MP, Labour, voted in favour
Dr Simon Opher MP, Labour, voted in favour
Jake Richards MP, Labour, voted in favour
Rachel Hopkins MP, Labour, voted in favour
Lewis Atkinson MP, Labour, voted in favour
Naz Shah MP, Labour, voted against
Juliet Campbell MP, Labour, voted against
Daniel Francis MP, Labour, voted against
Sojan Joseph MP, Labour, voted against
Jack Abbott MP, Labour, voted against
Sean Woodcock MP, Labour, voted against
Kit Malthouse  MP, Conservative, voted in favour
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP, Conservative, voted in favour
Danny Kruger MP, Conservative, voted against
Rebecca Paul MP, Conservative, voted against
Tom Gordon MP, Liberal Democrat, voted in favour
Sarah Green MP, Liberal Democrat, voted in favour
Sarah Olney MP, Liberal Democrat, voted against
 Liz Saville-Roberts MP, Plaid Cymru, voted in favour