In the second part in a series tracking the passage of the Bill, Michael Zander KC reports on the current uncertainty
In brief
- The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is progressing through the Lords, with debate coming directly after two highly critical reports from House of Lords committees.
- Baroness Berger’s amendment that a select committee be set up to hear evidence from professional bodies’ was accepted.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill began its progress through the House of Lords with two all-day debates (10am to 4pm) on 12 and 19 September. Because of the great number of peers who had indicated their wish to contribute (191), speeches were limited to four minutes.
There were many speeches in favour of the Bill, many speeches against the Bill, and many speeches in favour of the Bill in principle but not in its present form. How this will turn out, when it eventually comes to counting votes on amendments and on the Bill as a whole, is impossible
