"I do not understand that proposition. It seems to me that the panel is able to take that into account just as well as the court—and, indeed, I think the panel would probably be better able to assess it. I am not sure I accept that proposition...." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"The reason why I quoted Dr Cox of the Association for Palliative Medicine was that she specifically said that it is better to approach this issue through a multidisciplinary process rather than by placing it on the shoulders of the two doctors and the High Court judge. The panel approach …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"I have had 21 minutes, so I have to get on and just deal very quickly, if I may, first with the costings. The only costings that have been done have been by the Government. The Government’s costings have been done in relation to the panel but not in relation …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"Can I answer what the noble Lord, Lord Taylor, whom I greatly respect, has said? I have answered in some degree of detail the main substantive points and I believe that I have dealt with them in a way that is appropriate for Committee. One of the things that one …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"My Lords, I express my own thanks to the staff, who have done an absolutely excellent job on the Fridays. I will also express my response to what happened yesterday. We now need a process that brings us to a conclusion. I believe that we need the usual channels to …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"I take that to be a yes. The position the noble Lord is proposing is that the judge hears the evidence of the doctors on issues, for example, of coercion, capacity and firm and settled view, and then makes the decision. The comparison we have is between what is in …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"May just continue? I will come back to the noble Baroness in a moment. This is very important—it is the critical bit of the whole thing.
There was a lot of evidence given to the Commons Committee in which this very issue was discussed. Sarah Cox, an expert, gave evidence. …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech
"Will the noble Baroness let me finish? I am sorry but I am not going to take interventions at this stage. I will come to the noble Baroness in a moment, but I think I should make this argument in full.
"I do not accept that. The position is in relation to the panel. If it wants a report from a doctor, it can get it. I understand the noble Lord, Lord Carlile, to be saying that the court can ask for all these things—which of course it can—and if it …..." Lord Falconer of Thoroton - View Speech