Arrangement of Business

Lord Bishop of Southwark Excerpts

Friday 30th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, can I just finish? I think this is supposed to be questions to me, not debating the Bill. If there are any questions, I will do my best to answer them.

[The Lord Bishop of Southwark]

My Lords, I too wish to speak in good faith. That is what all our Committee consideration has been about, in almost every speech I have heard and listened to—and I have made an effort to attend a good number of sittings. I am very grateful to the Government Chief Whip for what he has said. I am also very grateful to the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, for saying on the “Today” programme that he now anticipates that the Bill will fall. So my question is: if and when it does, please will the need for a royal commission on dying well be factored into consideration?

[Baroness Jay of Paddington (Lab)]

My Lords, I think this is relevant to the points that have been made. If we did consider this Bill again under the Parliament Act, the amendments that this House had passed in this Session would have a far greater chance of surviving than those debated in subsequent proceedings. Therefore, it is important that those who wish to amend the Bill do so now—and, I would suggest, as speedily as possible.