LONDON – A bill granting severely ill and suffering individuals in the UK the right to end their lives has successfully passed its first stage in Parliament.
The international news agencies reported that Labour MP Kim Leadbeater introduced the Assisted Dying Bill in the British Parliament, which focused permission to terminally ill individuals to choose death.
The bill received 330 votes in favor and 275 against. However, the government remained neutral but it allowed its members to vote as they wished.
Under the proposed bill, the individuals choosing assisted death must be over 18 years of age, make the decision without any external pressure, and do so willingly.
The doctors must confirm that the individual’s remaining life expectancy is no more than six months. The person must sign a declaration in the presence of two independent witnesses, satisfy two doctors of their decision with a one-week gap between consultations and then obtain approval from a High Court judge. Fourteen days after this process, the individual can proceed with assisted death, where a doctor will provide the necessary substance, but the individual must self-administer it.
The bill does not specify which substance will be used for assisted death.
However, anyone found coercing a person into choosing assisted death could face up to 14 years in prison.
The bill will now proceed to the committee stage, where members can propose amendments. It will require approval from both the Parliament and the House of Lords before becoming law.
It may be mentioned here that a similar bill was overwhelmingly rejected by members in 2015.
