Assisted dying Bill MSP urges others not to ‘hunt for excuses’
MSPs will sit late into the night for three days this week to consider more than 300 amendments to the legislation.
The MSP behind Scotland’s assisted dying proposals has urged others in Holyrood not to “hunt for excuses” as the Bill enters its final stage of consideration.
MSPs are preparing for three marathon sessions this week to consider amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, with Holyrood expected to sit until 10pm on all three nights to debate more than 300 changes.
If passed, the Bill would allow terminally ill adults to seek to end their lives.
It would require two independent medical professionals to confirm a person is terminally ill and has mental capacity before assistance could be provided.
The legislation, which is expected to go to a final vote next week, has proven controversial, with worries about safeguards and potential coercion.
But speaking ahead of the opening of stage three proceedings on Tuesday, Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur said: “By the time it reaches its final vote, my Bill will have had five years of development and scrutiny.
“Over that time, it has drawn record levels of public consultation and engagement with stakeholders as well as going through a comprehensive parliamentary process.
“It has in place clear safeguards against coercion which are tried and tested in countries like Australia and New Zealand.
“The new law cannot come into force until protections for medical staff who wish not to take part are enshrined in law.
“There will also be the opportunity to add further protections this week through amendments, including ones that would require someone to be assessed as having less than six months to live in order to be eligible, an approach I will be supporting.
“MSPs must not hunt for excuses to kick the can down the road, as this issue is certainly not going away. This is the right Bill at the right time. It’s time to give terminally ill Scots that compassionate choice.”
The Bill will be a free vote among Scotland’s MSPs, meaning they will not be whipped by their parties, meaning the outcome is hard to judge.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has already said he will not back the Bill.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, he said: “I’ve had a really consistent view throughout the whole process, which is I understand that there are many difficult circumstances, particularly when it comes to end of life care,” he said.
“I don’t think palliative care is anywhere nearly enough resourced or supported in our country, meaning many people have a much more difficult experience towards the end of their life then they have to have and how that impacts on their broader family and actually gives them lifetime trauma as well.
“But I don’t think this is the right answer or the right approach.
“I worry that there’s not enough safeguards, I worry about unintended consequences, so I don’t support the legislation.
“I’ll, of course, look at the amendments to see if we can try and get more safeguards into the legislation, but ultimately, it’s not legislation I feel I can support.”
