Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Debate between Simon Opher and Mary Kelly Foy

2nd reading
Friday 11th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Mary Kelly Foy (City of Durham) (Lab)]

We have heard much today about the legal, medical and ethical questions being raised by this Bill. For me, the idea of ignoring the warnings of the medical professions is absolutely baffling, but my remarks today will focus on poverty, inequality and what dignity really means at the end of life.

My daughter Maria has been in my mind throughout my considerations. Maria lived with severe cerebral palsy. She was non-verbal and required round-the-clock care. From the day she was born, we were told that she might have just six months to live, but she defied that and lived for 27 years, bringing immense joy to our family. It is because of Maria that I approach this debate with concern; I fear for non-verbal or vulnerable people, and I worry about those who do not have a trusted person to protect them or speak out for them.

I am sure that we all want to see dignity for those at the end of life, but we must ask ourselves what dignity really is. In these circumstances, dignity means being well cared for and supported, receiving the best possible treatment, and knowing that your life is valued. It is not dignified to feel pressured towards death because of the burdens of cost, or the social and economic pressures that accompany serious and terminal illness. When we talk about coercion, we often think of pressure from individuals, but the greater risk may be social coercion driven by inequalities that exist in our society.

[Dr Opher]

Will my hon. Friend give way briefly?

[Mary Kelly Foy]

Briefly, because my hon. Friend has made a few interventions already.

[Dr Opher]

Can I just say that there has not been one confirmed case of coercion in any of these jurisdiction anywhere in the world?

[Mary Kelly Foy]

I thank my hon. Friend for that intervention, but he will find that there are statistics on that. In America, 8% of those who have been deemed to have chosen to end their life have faced huge financial difficulties.