The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

On Monday 18^th November, we sent a briefing to parliamentarians explaining some of the key human rights issues involved in this area. The briefing looks at the right to life; the right to be free from inhuman or degrading treatment; the right to private life; and the right to be free from discrimination. It also explains what UK courts and the European Court of Human Rights have previously said about assisted dying/suicide.

Members of Parliament debated the Bill for the first time on Friday 29^th November. This is known as the Bill’s “second reading”. MPs voted to proceed with the Bill, which means it will now go to Committee Stage, where parliamentarians examine it line-by-line.

Find out more about how laws are made in our plain-language explainer.

This Bill is a Private Members’ Bill, meaning it has been introduced by a Member of Parliament who is not a government minister. For it to become law, it still has to go through the same stages as a government bill but some of the requirements are different. For example, a Private Members’ Bill does not have to include a Section 19 statement saying whether or not the MP introducing it thinks it is compatible with human rights law.