Isle of Man Assisted Dying Bill step closer to passing as critical clauses voted through by large majorities
Critical votes on Isle of Man’s assisted dying bill have been won today (Tuesday 7th May), bringing the proposed law a step closer to becoming reality. Today was the first session of the critical Clauses stage, in which Members of the House of Keys (MHKs) had the opportunity to debate each clause of the Bill, hear further evidence from experts and put forward any amendments. Today’s session saw the first votes on the detail of the legislation, with large majorities backing key Clauses and constructive amendments to the Bill. In today’s session, MHKs voted by a large margin (15-9) for the eligibility of assisted dying to be for those who have been given a prognosis of 12 months left to live, while they voted 14-10 for the eligibility to be open to those have been residents of the Isle of Man for a minimum of five years.
The Assisted Dying Bill, put forward by Dr Alex Allinson, MHK for Ramsey and a GP, proposes that the option of assisted dying should be available as a choice for terminally ill, mentally competent residents, subject to strict safeguards. Two in three (66%) people in the Isle of Man support the introduction of assisted dying as an option for terminally ill, mentally competent adults, with more than half (53%) indicating strong support, a survey released in October 2023 found.
In today’s session, MHKs heard expert evidence from Dr Jacky Davis, Chair of Healthcare Professionals for Assisted Dying, and Professor Emeritus Sam H Ahmedzai, who has 30 years’ experience as an academic physician in palliative medicine. They spoke authoritatively about the need for the choice of assisted dying alongside excellent palliative care and the need to listen to evidence from other countries who have already changed the law.
The Clauses stage will continue in the House of Keys on Tuesday 14th May. The Clauses stage follows a significant win at Second Reading in October, when MHKs voted by a significant majority (17-7) to progress the Bill. After the Clauses stage the Bill is expected to receive a Third Reading in the House of Keys this summer. If it passes this stage it will progress onto the Legislative Council, the Upper House of the Tynwald, for further debate and scrutiny. The Bill could then receive Royal Assent as soon as next year, followed by consideration of how the legislation will be implemented, with assisted dying potentially available to Manx residents from 2027.
Dr Alex Allinson MHK for Ramsey said:
“I want to thank my colleagues in the House of Keys for their contributions to today’s debate and voting to approve two of the main clauses in the Bill. For many years the Isle of Man community has called for significant law reform and I have heard countless stories from those who have been affected by the blanket ban on assisted dying. There is overwhelming support for this progressive change and we have moved a step closer to following in the footsteps of countries such as Australia and New Zealand, who have proven that assisted dying can be legislated for safely, alongside access to high quality end-of-life care and with stringent safeguards.”
Sarah Wootton, Chief Executive of Dignity in Dying, said:
“The Isle of Man is now one step closer to giving dying people the choice and compassion they need and deserve. Members of the House of Keys should be congratulated for their compassion and common sense, which the Manx people have been calling out for. This law is limited to local people who are at the end of their lives and reflects a reform that the majority of Manx people support. Mountains of evidence from other jurisdictions that have already changed the law prove that these laws work safely; far more so than the status quo which is making people vulnerable and causing huge harm to dying people and families. We look forward to seeing this Bill progress through its remaining stages as the Island moves closer to historic law change.”
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For more information or interview requests, please email Molly Pike, Media and Campaigns Officer at Dignity in Dying, molly.pike@dignityindying.org.uk or call 07855209809