Speeches by Kruger.

“The hon. Lady is right that there is no other agency that is appropriate. The difficulty is that the MHRA is itself highly conflicted—we will come in due course to discuss the role of the profit motive in this mooted procedure—and the big problem is that it is overwhelmingly funded by the pharmaceutical companies. We h…”

“I entirely agree that there is great concern about the lack of evidence in countries on which we are constantly relying for evidence of why this proposal is safe. I have suggested that, from the quite limited evidence we have, that it may not be safe. The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that if we are to proceed, we…”

“Will the hon. Gentleman give way?”

“I thank the hon. Lady for explaining the purpose of the amendments. Amendment 500 specifies the information that a final statement must contain. Will she clarify why there is no requirement to record any details of what happened once the drugs were administered, other than the time between the use of the approved subst…”

“I am sorry; I mis-spoke. I should have said that we have ruled out clarifying the expectations of what doctors should do in the event of an assisted death, and whether or not that is specified by the patient. Earlier today, the Committee again ruled out specifying what the obligations on doctors are if complications ar…”

“I am grateful to the hon. Lady. Let me let me look that up later. I am happy to exchange data, because this is clearly something we should be trying to get right. Nevertheless, I want to try to explain why I am suggesting that we have a problem with the drugs that are used in assisted dying and that it has been suggest…”

“I am speaking to the group as a whole, which includes clause stand part. I have no objection to the amendments. My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. As I said, the expectation is that the medical professionals involved in the person’s care will have laid out their options clearly. We are to a certain degree trusti…”

“I am supportive of all the amendments in this grouping, including amendment 255 in the name of the hon. Member for Filton and Bradley Stoke (Claire Hazelgrove) about the importance of recording the means of administration of the substance. We have discussed that a bit, and I think it is important to include it. The ame…”

“I will speak briefly to amendment 316 in the name of the hon. Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell). She has tabled a sensible suggestion that if a patient makes a statement after the second period of reflection, there should be an automatic referral to palliative care. We have heard how expected and usual that is …”

“I am grateful for that; I particularly respect my hon. Friend’s concern to protect the doctors from any confusion in the law they might be operating under. Just to take him back to the question of technology resolving what I regard as an insuperable problem—the difference between assistance and administration—is it my …”

“I rise to speak to amendment 440, which stands in the name of the hon. Member for York Central. I echo the points made by the hon. Member for Banbury. Surely it is the case that the interventions made by a medical practitioner in response to the procedure failing, and the timing of those interventions, must be properly…”

“I beg to move amendment 480, in clause 23, page 15, line 3, leave out subsection (1) and insert— “(1) No individual is under any duty (whether arising from any contract, statute or otherwise) to be involved, directly or indirectly, in the provision of assistance in accordance with this Act. (1A) In particular, no indiv…”

“I rise to speak in support of my amendments 480 and new clause 22, and amendments 483, 484 and 441, tabled by the hon. Member for York Central. The conscience clause that is provided for in clause 23 is too narrow in two respects: first, in who it covers, and secondly, in what it protects. I will start with the issue o…”

“I am grateful to the hon. Lady. I hear what she has said; we have had this conversation before. I am afraid that I do insist on my right to use the English language accurately. What is proposed in the Bill is a carve-out of the Suicide Act, so I regret to say to the hon. Lady that I will continue to describe it in term…”

“I am very pleased to hear it. I thank the hon. Lady for that. That helps me because I was perplexed about the difference. It is good to hear from her that there is no particular group of professionals who she thinks should not be included in the conscience clause. It is good to hear that she agrees with that. I would b…”

“Those are the sorts of circumstances in which I envisage an occupier—namely, the manager or the organisation that provides the home—being entitled to state that assisted dying does not take place on their premises. I recognise that that is a challenge for individuals living there, but it is explicitly because they are …”

“Not really. It is within the rights of managers—particularly hotel managers or people who host a bed and breakfast—not to admit prostitution on their premises, even if it is legal. Although it is illegal to discriminate against particular groups, it is legal for the occupiers of premises, in certain circumstances, to d…”

“I propose to press both my amendments to a vote if necessary. Amendment 462 agreed to. Amendment made: 496, in clause 18, page 12, line 28, after “professionals” insert “, and such other persons,”.—(Kim Leadbeater.) This amendment provides that the coordinating doctor may be accompanied by such persons (other than heal…”

“I am afraid that is right—I am not going to pretend otherwise. I recognise that, in those circumstances, it would be distressing for the individual who lives in the care home either not to have this new treatment—this service—or to go elsewhere to have it. I recognise that that would be an imposition on and an inconven…”

“Yes, I do acknowledge the problem with that. My expectation would be—thinking about this in real human terms—that if somebody wanted an assisted death, and they wanted to do it in a particular care home, that would be a conversation they would have with the care home operator. The care home operator might have an absol…”