Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Debate between Baroness Finlay of Llandaff and Baroness Lawlor

Committee stage
Friday 23rd January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Lawlor (Con)]

Is it the noble Baroness’s understanding of Clause 12(2)(d) that, while there is an obligation to discuss the person’s wishes in the event of complications arising, there is no obligation to discuss exactly what those complications could be?

[Baroness Finlay of Llandaff (CB)]

It might be helpful to add that, in normal procedure, you would explain to a patient what the complications may be but also what you will do. This Bill does not say what you will do. That is why I pointed out that somebody who is very drowsy and beginning to wake from a huge dose of lethal drugs would not be able to self-administer a further dose. This Bill is very clear that the practitioner does not administer the fatal dose; it must be done by the person themselves. Therefore, we have a bit of a gap here, because the doctor can tell them what might happen, but it does not seem that the doctor can tell them what they will do in the event of it happening and how it would be managed.