Speeches by Atkinson.

“I accept that that is a risk factor, but it is by no means determinative. Therefore, that risk factor has to be considered in the round with other risk factors such as levels of family and social support. As set out, the amendment does not distinguish between someone receiving a terminal diagnosis by themselves without…”

“The holistic assessment is already set out elsewhere in the Bill, so the amendment is not required. Amendment 275, which we made to clause 4, requires “all appropriate” psychological support to have been discussed with an individual in advance of the first declaration. I clearly supported that amendment, and I am very …”

“I rise to speak against the amendment; there are significant issues with it both in practice and in principle. In terms of practice, I draw Members’ attention to the fact that the amendment does not mention a psychosocial assessment; it mentions mandating “a psychosocial intervention”. As defined by the World Health Or…”

“I do not disagree with my hon. Friend. I gently say that the GMC guidance specifically references that Act, so that is what I was referring to. I am pleased to see amendment 341, which I believe would bring the legislation into line with that GMC guidance, ensuring that removing the duty to refer would absolutely not b…”

“I will be brief. I am pleased to hear my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley confirm that she is minded to support amendment 341. It is incumbent on all of us, but perhaps particularly those in favour of the Bill, to place on record our appreciation and recognition of the fact that many people who work in our health…”

“No, I am going to make some progress because I am conscious of the time, and we want to get through these provisions. I want to speak in favour of amendments 108 and 183. Those two amendments, taken together with amendment 275, create additional safeguards and assurances on the points made by colleagues on Second Readi…”

“I will be brief, as I am conscious that the Committee needs to make progress. I will speak briefly to amendment 275 in my name, which, as others have said, amends the current reference of “any available” to “all appropriate”. Listen—people at the end of their life deserve the best. They deserve to know about and have t…”

“The right hon. Gentleman makes a good point. For the reasons that I have outlined, I will not support amendment 50. However, I would hate for any of us who do so to be characterised as disagreeing with the provision of relevant and available information about care and treatment. I certainly believe, as do some colleagu…”

“I accept that clause 4(1) rightly sets out that no medical practitioner is under an obligation to raise the subject of assisted dying, but that is not what amendment 50 is about; it is about the information that someone has about the likely effects of taking this course of action, if a patient is to pursue it. In that …”

“My hon. Friend will recall that we heard evidence from doctors from Victoria, which has a so-called gag clause; I think it was Dr Furst who said that that was “really problematic”. What does my hon. Friend make of the guidance from the Victoria Government? It states that under that clause a patient who asks a doctor, “…”

“My hon. Friend and I may need to agree to disagree on this point. Clearly, I agree that this is a significant landmark legislation, which is different from many other forms of treatment, but that is reflected in the safeguards and provisions elsewhere in the Bill. I do not believe that the Bill needs to set out the way…”

“No, I do not agree. The GMC guidance in many ways talks about not accepting treatment. It is equally as useful in situations involving the withdrawal of treatments and the end of life. Fundamentally, it goes back to the point that I made in my speech yesterday on informed decision making and the autonomy of the patient…”

“I share the concerns of my hon. Friend the Member for Bexleyheath and Crayford about the use of DNRs—what happened during covid to people, particularly those with disabilities, was a disgrace. Does my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford West accept that this is an entirely different situation, however, in that people m…”

“I know that we have interacted before about our fundamental difference on the ventilator test: someone saying, “I want to die, please turn off my ventilator” as opposed to, “I want to die, please let me take this substance.” Although we may have a fundamental disagreement on whether those things are the same or differe…”

“Does my hon. Friend agree that clause 8(6), which requires the second doctor to be independent of the first—they must not be “a partner or colleague in the same practice or clinical team”— would protect against the situation on which the hon. Member for East Wiltshire speculates?”

“I was not intending to, but I will speak very briefly to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich. I agree that what is set out in amendment 50 is entirely sensible and I support such provisions. However, I will not vote for it, and I want to explain why. We will go down a very difficult route if we set out the reg…”

“I do, and I thank my hon. Friend for bringing my attention to that; I was struggling to put my hands on it. In my view, clause 2 does a difficult job very well in tightly drawing eligibility criteria so that the Bill does what it says on the face of it—that it allows access for terminally ill adults, at the end of thei…”

“That is not my understanding, and I have sought some clarification, including from Professor Hoyano, who provided oral evidence to us, and I believe that that was not her understanding either. Given the “must” in clause 9 regarding psychiatric referral to a third tier panel—which, let us remind ourselves, is not in pla…”

“I rise to speak in favour of the current, tightly drawn eligibility criterion of a six-month terminal diagnosis. I agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford West that that was a central plank of the Bill as introduced and as debated across the House on Second Reading. I therefore rise to speak against all the a…”

“No, I will make some progress. I feel that the amendment risks pressuring people to accept courses of intervention against their will, and I do not think it is consistent with the important principles of autonomy and consent. Because of the safeguards, approvals and reflection periods built into the Bill, going through…”