Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Debate between Steve Witherden and Peter Prinsley

2nd reading
Friday 29th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[Steve Witherden (Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr) (Lab)]

Assisted dying is already occurring in unregulated ways, with up to 650 terminally ill people taking their own lives each year, often in traumatic circumstances, causing additional pain for their loved ones. The Bill promotes freedom of choice at the end of life in a controlled and regulated manner. Does my hon. Friend agree that legal assisted dying would provide essential safeguards where there currently are none?

[Peter Prinsley]

I thank my hon. Friend for that timely intervention. Some may say that we do not have the resources to introduce this change, and many may say that we must invest in palliative care, which of course we must. But I see assisted dying as complementary to, not an alternative to, palliative care.