Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 7
7
Deferred
Paragraph: 142
Assisted dying introduction has not degraded palliative care; eligibility not expanded beyond terminal illness.
Conclusion
In the evidence we received we did not see any indications of palliative and end- of-life care deteriorating in quality or provision following the introduction of AD/ AS; indeed the introduction of AD/AS has been linked with an improvement in palliative care in several jurisdictions. We also conclude that jurisdictions which have introduced AD/AS on the basis of terminal illness have not changed the law to include eligibility on the basis of “unbearable suffering”. None of the jurisdictions which have introduced it have revoked the legislation.
Government Response Summary
The government redirects responsibility for any change to the law regarding Assisted Dying/Assisted Suicide to Parliament, stating it is a matter of conscience for individual parliamentarians rather than a government policy matter.
Paragraph Reference:
142
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
The long-held position of successive UK governments is that any change to the law of England and Wales in this area is a matter for Parliament and an issue of conscience for individual parliamentarians rather than one for government policy. It would be for the UK Parliament to develop a specific proposal on AD/AS reform, not the Government, because this is a matter of conscience.