Speeches by Francis.

“I will be brief. Amendments 491, 492 and new clause 28, which will be discussed when we come to the next group, have all been suggested by Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. Amendments 491 and 492 are minor amendments that would broaden the scope of the required assessment of the availability, quality a…”

“I beg to move amendment 491, in clause 35, page 22, line 2, after “health” insert “and care”. This amendment, together with Amendment 492, would broaden the scope of the assessment criteria for the Review of this Act, by referring to “health and care services to persons with palliative and end of life care needs” to pr…”

“The annual reporting does give us some reassurance, but when we accepted some of Mencap’s recommendations last week, I said that I would welcome it if the entirety of its recommendations were accepted—and it wanted an overall review at an early stage in the process. Amendment 493 to 495, in my name, address those conce…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. I genuinely did not intend to speak today, but the debate, particularly the speech by the hon. Member for Richmond Park and the intervention from my hon. Friend the Member for Luton South and South Bedfordshire, has brought me to my feet. It was 13 or 14 years a…”

“As the parent of a wheelchair user with a severe sight impairment, I see many of the issues the report highlights on a daily basis. The report highlights the issues with aviation and the difficulties the Civil Aviation Authority has faced in enforcing regulations on behalf of wheelchair users and people with a severe s…”

“My hon. Friend knows my concerns but she knows that I will be supporting the amendment this evening. Advocates must have an understanding of the available end-of-life options and be able to communicate clearly and explain to patients the medical treatments available: palliative care, social care and assisted death. Tha…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mrs Harris. I was also not intending to speak, but I think there are two slightly different issues here. Prior to Second Reading, the Equality and Human Rights Commission produced a briefing paper on some of the issues that have been covered in amendment 500. It also gave…”

“I will speak to amendment 394 in my name, which provides that codes of practice may be issued on “the provision of information and support to persons with learning disabilities who are eligible to request assistance to end their own life under this Act, including the role of advocates for such persons”. I am aware that…”

“These amendments refer to the oral evidence we received from Mencap. They would add provisions to ensure those consulted in the preparation of the chief medical officer’s guidance include persons with learning disabilities. I commend the amendments to the Committee.”

“I beg to move amendment 395, in clause 31, page 19, line 8, at end insert— “(2A) The persons consulted under subsection (2) must include persons with learning disabilities.”.”

“We are in danger of having much consensus this evening. As hon. Members know, this issue is very close to my heart, and my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge knows more than anybody that inequality for disabled people in this country remains ingrained. As the parent of someone with a very complex set…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Roger. I will speak to amendments 429 and 430 in my name. During oral evidence, we discussed the issues in subsections (9) and (10) of clause 18 and whether there is a contradiction. Subsection (9) states that the co-ordinating doctor “must remain with the person” and…”

“Too many carers of disabled people end up with physical and mental health disabilities themselves, and end up trapped in the same system as their loved ones. What more can the Secretary of State do with her colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education to end that trap?”

“I hear what my hon. Friend says, but the wording of clause 18(9) and (10) is ambiguous. Subsection (9) says that the co-ordinating doctor must remain with the person until “the person has died”, but subsection (10) says that the doctor “need not be in the same room”. I do not want to get into measuring metres, but wher…”

“I welcome my hon. Friend’s acceptance of the amendment, and I think she sees the point behind it. It was meant not to be awkward—I do not think I have been at all awkward during this process—but simply to state that, if there were concerns later, the reason why the proxy was required should be there in a transparent wa…”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms McVey. Amendment 321 will mean that the proxy’s declaration must also include the reason why the person was unable to sign their name. That would add a vital safeguard for the person and for the proxy. In this Committee, we have consistently discussed the need to safeg…”

“I beg to move amendment 321, in clause 15, page 10, line 33, at end insert— “(d) the reason why the person was unable to sign their name.””

“I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South West (Dr Arthur) for introducing the Bill and for his work in bringing about this necessary debate on rare cancers. I also pay tribute to all Members who have spoken today, but particularly to my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Josh Fenton-Glynn) …”

“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms Furniss. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Chris Vince) for raising this important issue. I know it is a passion close to his heart, and he knows it is a passion close to mine too, as a parent of a young carer—I will come to that in due course. Fewer than 1…”

“I accept what my hon. Friend says, but there are differences of opinion. I accept that that is a very serious matter, but I would argue that a matter of life and death is more serious, and there are processes that we know. As I said, I gave evidence under oath about the demolition of a building and whether someone had …”