The Memo: The latest on assisted dying in the UK

A proposal to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales was introduced to Parliament in October. The bill will be formally debated in Parliament on 29 November, and then a vote will be held. If it passes through the House of Commons, the bill will be further examined by committees and will need approval from the House of Lords. A similar bill was proposed in 2015 but turned down. Since then, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have legalised assisted dying, adding to the growing list of Western countries (and some US states) which permit this practice.  

Discussions into legalising assisted dying have been progressing in the Isle of Man and Scotland. The Isle of Man’s parliamentary vote of 16:8 in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill means that it may be legal for residents to legally end their lives from 2027 if they are judged mentally competent, have lived on the Isle of Man for at least five years and are expected to live for less than 12 months. The details of how this will work in practice have yet to be finalised. 

Meanwhile, debate continues in Scotland over whether it is within the powers of the Scottish Parliament to legalise assisted dying. Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray believes only Westminster has the authority to decide issues related to “medicines, medical supplies and poisons.” However, the Scottish Parliament’s presiding officer Alison Johnstone, who decides which legislation is within the Scottish Parliament’s powers, believes Holyrood does have the authority to pass the bill. If the bill is passed, terminally ill adults will be able to ask for assistance to end their life. They would need to be residents of Scotland for at least 12 months, registered with a GP in Scotland and must have the mental capacity to make such a request. 

Controversies surrounding assisted dying include the right to conscientious objection and healthcare professionals’ duty shifting from protecting and enhancing patients’ quality of life to potentially ending lives. Opponents of assisted dying often cite the latter as a reason to notlegalise the practice, as medical students typically take the Hippocratic oath upon graduation and promise to do no harm to their patients. Incorrect terminal diagnoses are another concern, aspatients couldfeel pressured or coerced into ending their lives. 

Some MPs, mostly from the Labour Party, are already calling for assisted dying in the UK to be extended to those without terminal conditions. This could pave the way for the UK to follow Canada’s controversial lead in gradually loosening eligibility requirements. The country has its own medically assisted dying (MAID) programme, which accounted for around 4.1% of deaths in Canada in 2022.