Dignity in Dying

Opened the debate

Mr Mitchell expressed gratitude to Mr Speaker for granting the Adjournment debate on assisted dying. He highlighted his role as co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for choice at the end of life and noted that constituents often share their personal experiences, which have influenced his stance in favour of changing the law. He emphasised that public opinion polls consistently support legal changes, and he referred to a Bill introduced by the noble Lady Meacher in the House of Lords, which proposes allowing terminally ill individuals who are within six months of death and deemed capable of making an independent decision with medical approval to choose assisted dying. Mr Mitchell also mentioned recent travel restrictions imposed by Switzerland on UK citizens seeking assisted dying, stressing that such situations highlight the inadequacy of relying on other countries for this option.

Government Response

Ms Gillian Keegan began her response by thanking Mr Mitchell for securing a debate and presenting his views on assisted dying. She stated that the Government believes any changes to the law in this area are matters of conscience for individual parliamentarians rather than government policy. Ms Keegan acknowledged the emotional impact of watching loved ones suffering from life-threatening or degenerative conditions, which often informs decisions made by Members of Parliament. The Minister mentioned ongoing consultations and legislation being drafted in other jurisdictions within the UK, indicating that the Government would await further details before making any commitments. Ms Keegan emphasised the Government's commitment to ensuring patients receive dignified end-of-life care and highlighted efforts taken to improve palliative and end-of-life care services. She noted the challenges posed by the pandemic but also praised the resilience of healthcare workers who continued to provide high-quality care despite difficult circumstances. The Minister acknowledged that there is still room for improvement in quality of care, stressing the importance of training and comprehensive resources provided by Health Education England. Ms Keegan detailed NHS initiatives aimed at supporting end-of-life care services, including a three-year strategic delivery plan focused on improving access, quality, and sustainability. She highlighted the publication of advance care planning principles to facilitate meaningful discussions between patients, families, and healthcare professionals. The Minister also discussed opportunities presented by the Health and Care Bill for enhancing integration between health and social care systems and removing barriers to data sharing and joint decision-making. She emphasised the Government's commitment to ensuring dignified personalised care for all individuals at the end of their lives, aiming to eliminate postcode lotteries or patchy services through collaboration with stakeholders. Ms Keegan concluded by reaffirming the Government’s dedication to enabling high-quality palliative and end-of-life care as demand increases due to population ageing.