Right-to-die debate could trigger first vote in 20 years

Assisted dying
Right to die
Health
Tuesday 9 June 2015 at 12:01pm

Right-to-die commons debate could trigger a parliamentary vote on the issue Credit: PA

A right-to-die debate, expected to take place in the House of Commons later this year, could trigger the first parliamentary vote on the issue since 1997.

Labour MP Rob Marris, who will bring the Assisted Dying Bill before MPs in September, said the debate over whether to change right-to-die legislation could be the trigger for the first vote on changing the law surrounding assisted suicide in 20 years.

Under the proposed Assisted Dying Bill doctors would be allowed to prescribe lethal doses of medicine to terminally-ill patients who have six months or less to live - at their request.

The bill will be based on legislation championed by former lord chancellor Lord Falconer of Thoroton who ran out of time to bring the bill before the House of Lords and before MPs had a chance to consider a change in the law.

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of campaign group Dignity in Dying, welcomed the news of the debate.

She said: "It is great news that the House of Commons will now begin a debate on assisted dying which the public demand but have been denied because of parliamentary procedure ."