Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Baroness Hayman Excerpts

Friday 9th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Blencathra (Con)]

Why must we finish this group and start the next session with a new amendment? In Committee, we often adjourn at 10 pm when we are half way through a large group, and we come back and polish it off the next day. Nothing in the Companion suggests that we are honour-bound or duty-bound to finish a group on a certain timescale. There is no problem with coming back and completing it then.

[Baroness Hayman (CB)]

The noble Lord is of course completely correct that there is nothing in the Companion. It is however difficult for many Members, when they have spoken in a debate, not to be able to hear from the Front Benches because they have arrangements for another occasion. I say gently to the last two speakers that we are not talking simply about the Companion; we are talking about last night’s decision and the mood and concern of the House that we make progress. It is very unfair to attack the Government Whips on this when they are trying to work their way through the input of last night’s decision.

[Lord Blencathra (Con)]

I respect what the noble Baroness has said, but it is also the case that it is disrespectful to Members who have prepared speeches, wishing to say something on palliative care, and who deliberately stayed quiet in previous debates so that they could make a point on a subject in which they are interested. They are now being deprived of the opportunity to do so.