Assisted Dying Legislation Stalls in House of Lords After 1,200 Amendments Filed
A bill aimed at legalising assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales is set to lapse on Friday, nearly 17 months after its initial parliamentary approval by MPs. The legislation, which would permit individuals with a prognosis of six months or less to seek medical assistance to end their lives under specific safeguards, has stalled in the House of Lords.
Both proponents and critics acknowledge the bill will not pass all requisite stages to become law within the current parliamentary session, with no further debate scheduled beyond Friday. However, there remains a possibility of its reintroduction in the next session, commencing on 13 May.
Supporters within the Lords have written to MPs, urging the elected chamber to assume responsibility for the bill's future, stressing that Parliament "must come to a decision on choice at the end of life as soon as possible." These peers have accused opponents of employing "delaying tactics." Conversely, critics maintain the bill is deficient in safeguards, arguing that Lords debates have "exposed further problems." Opponents have also communicated with MPs, alleging that the bill's backers have "stonewalled or rejected nearly every attempt to amend or improve" the legislation.
A record-setting 1,200-plus amendments were tabled in the Lords for this backbencher-introduced bill. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill secured a majority of 55 in principle from MPs on 29 November 2024, and cleared the Commons with a majority of 23 on 20 June last year.
Kim Leadbeater MP, who introduced the bill in the Commons, expressed profound disappointment and anger over its failure in the Lords. She noted that other MPs are prepared to champion the same bill in the subsequent session, pending success in the private members' bill ballot. Leadbeater also acknowledged the potential use of the Parliament Acts, a rarely invoked mechanism, to bypass Lords obstruction should an identical bill pass the Commons a second time. This process was last employed in 2004 for the fox hunting ban.
Baroness Grey-Thompson, an opponent of the bill, dismissed criticism regarding the volume of amendments, asserting that peers were meticulously scrutinising the legislation. She contended that the bill's failure primarily stems from its "poorly written" nature, citing numerous gaps that render many peers uncomfortable, even if they agree with the principle of assisted dying. Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the bill's sponsor in the Lords, has proposed a general discussion on Friday, rather than continued amendment progression.
