British MPs to debate amended Assisted Dying Bill as final vote looms in June
Final vote on whether to pass or reject the bill is not expected on Friday, with the earliest likely date set for 13 June
LONDON
British lawmakers are set to debate the controversial assisted dying bill in the House of Commons on Friday, marking the first discussion since significant amendments were made to the proposed legislation.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, introduced by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, aims to legalize assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales.
The bill passed its first reading in Nov. with a majority of 330 to 275 votes but has since undergone six months of scrutiny and revision.
A final vote on whether to pass or reject the bill is not expected on Friday, with the earliest likely date set for 13 June.
Among the changes made to the bill are the removal of a requirement for a High Court judge to approve each request for assisted death.
Instead, a panel comprising a legal professional, psychiatrist, and social worker would be responsible for overseeing the process.
Another amendment ensures that doctors are prohibited from discussing the option with under-18s unless the patient initiates the conversation.
The government also quietly revised its impact assessment on assisted dying, acknowledging errors in its original estimate of how many people might access the service if the bill becomes law.
The upper estimate for the number of assisted deaths in the first year has been lowered from 787 to 647.
Several MPs opposed to the bill have criticized the process, describing it as “chaotic.”
However, Leadbeater defended the revised bill, saying it is returning to Parliament “even stronger.”
“The law as it stands is not working for dying people or their loved ones; that much is clear,” she said. “A majority of MPs recognized this when they backed my bill in November. When they come to debate it once again today, they can be confident that it returns even stronger.”
MPs have been granted a free vote on the issue, allowing them to vote according to their personal beliefs rather than along party lines.
Parliament remains divided on the matter, and while some opponents claim momentum has shifted, only a few MPs have publicly changed their stance since the bill first passed.
The debate on Friday is expected to set the stage for a decisive vote in June.
