Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Lord Rooker Excerpts

Friday 5th December 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Markham (Con)]

My Lords, this has been a really good discussion showing the range of views and expert opinion that we have here. I think I heard from the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, that he was willing to look at the age question. I think he said that he was more likely to add safeguards—

[Lord Rooker (Lab)]

The noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, specifically ruled out changing the age. He wanted to put qualifications on it; that was as far as he went.

[Lord Markham (Con)]

The point I was making—I am sure he will speak for himself in a moment—was that he was willing to look at that. He said that he was more likely to look at additional safeguards between 18 and 25. But I think he said—again, correct me if I am wrong—that he is willing to have further discussions with a lot of the experts we have here, including the noble Baronesses, Lady Cass and Lady Finlay, and, I am sure, others, to look at the whole question around age, as a product of the good debate that we have had here today.

I think I heard that the noble and learned Lord is taking on board the comments; he is willing to go away and look at this whole question with the experts here and, I hope, come back with something that reflects the reasonable view of everyone here today. I think we are being shown a way forward. I am keen to hear later about a lot of other things, such as the residency question and a lot of the other groupings, so at this point, I think we have what we are looking for—have we not?—in terms of a good discussion on this. I hope that we can go on to talk about some of the other groups.