With confirmation that a Bill will be brought forward for debate and a vote by MPs on choice at the end of life I want to take this opportunity to explain some of the background to the proposed legislation and to let you know my current thinking.
This can be an emotive issue and people hold a range of different views on it. The debate will be treated as a conscience issue, where MPs must make up their minds individually and not on party-political lines. I will listen to the debate in Parliament with great care but I also want to hear from you, my constituents.
The bill will seek to give people who are terminally ill the option to end their own life at a time and in the manner of their choosing, and will include strict eligibility criteria, effective medical and judicial oversight, and strong protections against forms of coercion or abuse.
The bill will not in any way detract from the vital importance of the very best palliative care. Nor would it undermine the demands of people with disabilities to lead their very best possible lives with all the care and support they need and deserve. I am pleased about this as I strongly support both these causes.
Much has changed in the nearly ten years since this issue was last brought before MPs, both in this country and around the world. Several countries, including the US, Australia and New Zealand, have introduced similar laws and evidence has found that there has been no ‘slippery slope’ and palliative care has improved alongside the choice for people to die at a time of their choosing.
I have not yet fully decided how I will vote on this bill and will continue to seek the views of experts, constituents and colleagues in the House before coming to my decision. I agree in principle that dying people should have choice over how and when they die, but I will need to be reassured that the safeguards the bill puts in place are robust enough to protect those who would not want to choose to have an assisted death voluntarily.
I’ll be holding an open public meeting at 6pm on Thursday 24th October so that I can hear your views and we can discuss this important issue together. I’d encourage any constituents who want to share your views on this to come along and join the discussion.
Josh MacAlister MP 