Assisted dying law step closer as Bill begins Lords passage after landmark Commons vote

Lord Charlie Falconer of Thoroton, who is leading the Bill through the House of Lords, formally introduced the Bill in the upper chamber this afternoon following its historic passage in the House of Commons last week. The First Reading – a formal introduction with no debate – signifies the start of the Bill’s progress through the Lords, coming after MPs voted decisively to support the proposal at its Third Reading in the Commons on 20 June, following months of detailed scrutiny and a watershed Second Reading debate in November.

This marks the first time an assisted dying Bill has ever been approved by the elected House of Commons, and, following further debate and scrutiny in the Lords, is now highly likely to become law. A date for the Bill’s Second Reading in the Lords will be confirmed in due course and the Bill must undergo scrutiny in much the same way as the House of Commons, with a Committee Stage (conducted by a Committee of the Whole House), Report Stage and Third Reading to follow.

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

“The Assisted Dying Bill’s First Reading in the Lords today is an extraordinary milestone. After the momentous Commons vote last week, seeing this Bill formally arrive in the House of Lords shows that the momentum behind this reform is unwavering. We are now truly on the brink of a change that has been decades in the making – a change that will transform end-of-life choice and bring compassion and dignity to those facing their final days.

“This reform is backed by the public and built on careful evidence and experience. Three-quarters of the country support an assisted dying law for the terminally ill, and Parliament is finally catching up with the public’s will. We welcome the rigorous scrutiny that the House of Lords will provide – good law is refined through careful examination. But we are confident that Peers will recognise the exhaustive work already done by MPs to craft the strongest assisted dying framework in the world, and that the case for change is overwhelming. The Commons has sent a clear message that suffering at the end of life should not be inevitable, and we trust the Lords will respond in that same spirit of compassion.

“Dignity in Dying and our supporters will continue to work closely with members of the House of Lords in the coming weeks and months to see this life-changing Bill over the line. After so many years of campaigning and countless stories that have driven this fight, that is now in sight. We owe it to every terminally ill person who has ever pleaded for a more compassionate law – and to the families who have supported them – to deliver this change. This is about giving dying people real choice and control at the end of their lives, and we are closer than ever to making that a reality.”