What subsequent for assisted dying legislation change as Bill fails to go House of Lords
The House of Lords held its final debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which is now not expected to become law before the Parliamentary session ends next week
Campaigner Louise Shackleton, who accompanied her husband to an assisted dying clinic, holds up a banner in Parliament Square on the final day of the debate(Image: Getty Images)
Attempts to change the law on assisted dying have hit the buffers today after peers ran down the clock on the legislation.
The House of Lords held its final debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which will now not become law in England and Wales before the Parliamentary session ends next week.
Supporters will make a fresh attempt to bring it back when the next session begins after the King’s Speech on May 13. But they face an uphill battle as the backbench bill is not guaranteed parliamentary time.
Here’s what you need to know about what comes next.
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What is the law now?
Assisted dying is banned in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.
In Scotland, it is not a specific criminal offence but assisting the death of someone can leave a person open to being charged with murder or other offences.
What is the assisted dying Bill?
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
It was brought forward as a private members bill in October 2024 by the Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, and passed the Commons last summer by 314 votes to 291. Fourteen MPs switched from voting in favour to against at third reading, with some arguing the dropping of the previously-promised High Court judge safeguard had “drastically weakened” the proposals.
What happened in the Lords today?
Peers conducted the 14th day of line-by-line scrutiny of the Bill, which is known as committee stage. More than 1,000 amendments were tabled to it – believed to be a record high for a piece of backbench legislation.
The Lords does not ordinarily block legislation introduced by the Government, as it is unelected, compared to the Commons where MPs have a mandate from voters. But this is a backbench bill, which means peers were more free to oppose it.
Supporters have accused peers of trying to run down the clock so it doesn’t become law. But opponents have said the Bill is badly drafted and the proposals are not safe.
Arcane rules mean private members’ bills usually don’t become law if they fail to pass through Parliament in a single session. Parliament is expected to rise next week ahead of the King’s Speech on May 13 – meaning the Bill will fall.
What happens next?
The future of the Bill is now uncertain. The Government has made it clear it won’t adopt the legislation as it remains neutral on assisted dying, which is considered a matter of conscience. The issue remains divisive at the top of Government. Keir Starmer voted in favour but Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Health Secretary Wes Streeting opposed it.
Supporters have suggested the Parliament Act could be invoked to override objections from peers. The rarely-used legislation allows Bills that have been backed by the Commons in two successive sessions – but rejected by peers – to become law without sign-off from the Lords.
There is precedent – although it is very unusual. Seven Bills have been passed using these powers, including the Hunting Act 2004.
But an MP would need to bring it back as a private members bill. A ballot will be held after the King’s Speech about who gets a chance to bring forward one of these bills. An MP would have to put themselves forward to revive the issue in the next session.
What are the arguments for and against?
Supporters say the ban on assisted dying is cruel, leaving dying people forced to suffer in pain and without dignity. They say terminally ill people deserve to have a choice to end their lives. Those who decide to go to Dignitas, in Switzerland, are faced with handling it alone or putting their families in a position where they could face criminal charges if they help them.
But critics argue the bill does not have enough safeguards and has been rushed through. They worry about people being coerced into an assisted death, while some argue it could lead to a slippery slope with the legislation expanded over time.
