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A House of Commons committee has expressed concern about moves to bring in assisted dying legislation at varying speeds in different parts of the British Isles, including Jersey.
As the States Assembly prepares to debate the details of how a law in Jersey – backed in principle by Members in late 2021 – would operate, a report issued by the UK's Parliament's Health and Social Care Committee this week focused on the issue.
Politicians in the Isle of Man have also backed the concept of assisted dying, while a bill is set to be introduced in the devolved Scottish Parliament later this year. The matter was debated in Guernsey in 2018, with politicians voting not to proceed at that stage.
The select committee report stated: “It looks increasingly likely that at least one jurisdiction among the UK and Crown Dependencies will allow [assisted dying] in the near future and ministers should be actively involved in discussions about how to approach the divergence in legislation.”
The committee also recommended doctors be given clear guidance on how to respond to requests for medical reports from terminally-ill patients considering travelling abroad for an assisted death.
Pictured: Steve Brine MP, Chair of the select committee.
Steve Brine, the Conservative MP for Winchester who chairs the cross-party group of MPs, said: “The inquiry on assisted dying and assisted suicide raised the most complex issues that we as a committee have faced, with strong feelings and opinions in the evidence we heard.
“We intend the information and testimony we present in our report today to have a lasting legacy and, as we set out in the initial terms of reference, be a significant and useful resource for future debates on the issue. That could still be during this parliament of course, or after the next [UK] general election."
The issue was also raised during a debate in the House of Commons on Thursday, with leader of the house Penny Mordaunt MP acknowledging "the head of steam that is building behind both sides of the argument".
Responding to a question from Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Ms Mordaunt said that any debate in the UK Parliament would be on a "free vote" basis, due to the subject being considered a matter of conscience.
Mrs Hobhouse said she believed the evidence in favour of assisted dying for mentally-competent terminally-ill adults with a life expectancy prognosis of six months was "overwhelming" and that a debate should be initiated by the government.
Ms Mordaunt pointed her colleague towards the options available to backbench MPs, including the possibility of an adjournment debate, a half-hour session held at the end of each day's sitting – and usually concluding without a vote – or a debate secured through the Backbench Business Committee,
The report urged the government to commit to increased financial support for hospices and “ensure universal coverage of palliative and end-of-life services”.
More than 68,000 responses from members of the public and 380 pieces of written evidence were considered during the course of the committee's inquiry into assisted dying.
Jersey's timetable for the next debate on the matter has been accelerated by new Health Minister Tom Binet, a prominent campaigner in support of assisted dying prior to his election to the States Assembly.
While his predecessor, Deputy Karen Wilson, stated last October that the debate on details of Jersey's law would be delayed by around six months until the third quarter of this year, Deputy Binet confirmed on 21 February that he would lodge a report and proposition on 22 March. This would be followed by an extended nine-week period before the debate on 21 May.
He said this move recognised calls made by a number of States Members to bring forward the legislation as soon as possible, adding: "I feel that this strikes the appropriate balance between offering States Members sufficient time to consider the proposals without creating any further delays to progress this piece of work.”
Assisted dying proposals vote scheduled for May (February 2024)
Assisted dying proposals delayed to avoid end-of-year rush (October 2023)
Health Minister pledges to put forward assisted dying plan by end of year (April 2023)
Gov needs more time to consider public feedback on assisted dying (February 2023)
EXPLAINED: How assisted dying is proposed to work in Jersey
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