Commons Committee launches assisted dying inquiry

Humanists UK spokespeople are available to interview, and we can also put media in touch with campaigners who want an assisted death, or the loved ones of those who have needed one (like Lauren Nicklinson, the daughter of the late Tony Nicklinson).

The House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry into assisted dying in England and Wales. This will be the first such inquiry held by the UK Parliament since 2004. Humanists UK has strongly welcomed the news and hopes to work constructively with the Committee.

The announcement is the latest in a string of moves over the last month on assisted dying by local jurisdictions. In France, a ‘citizen’s convention’ will be launched on 9 December and a law is expected to be introduced with President Macron’s backing in March. In the Republic of Ireland, a special Oireachtas committee will launch this month to examine assisted dying. In Scotland, the Assisted Dying Bill will enter the first stage early in the new year, after 36 MSPs backed the move. The Isle of Man launched a consultation on its proposed Assisted Dying Bill on Thursday. In Jersey, a consultation is currently in progress to examine eligibility criteria, safeguards, and processes after the States Assembly agreed to support assisted dying ‘in principle’.

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson said:

‘We are delighted that Parliament is launching this inquiry – something we have been calling for for some time. People who are terminally ill or incurably suffering desperately need this kind of detailed scrutiny of the law. We hope it will look at the evidence from the many countries around the world that now have assisted dying like Spain, Belgium, and Canada.

‘We support assisted dying because the evidence is clear: it is possible to allow it for those who are of sound mind and have a clear and settled wish to die, while also having sufficiently robust safeguards to stop anyone from being coerced into ending their lives. We look forward to working with the Committee on its inquiry.’