Speeches by Shah.

“Q Finally, to Dr Mullock, you have said that in all jurisdictions that have legalised assisted dying, the only meaningful gatekeeping is done by medical professionals. We only have retrospective monitoring that is primarily reliant on honest reporting, particularly discovering whether, or how frequently, coercion or fl…”

“Q I have one question following up with Baroness Falkner; then I will come to you, Fazilet, if I may. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s briefing says that “to ensure that assisted dying is compatible with Article 2 and Article 3 rights…high-quality palliative care should be available to all who need it.” Given…”

“Q This question applies to both of you. On there being a first doctor and a second doctor, the first doctor is required to determine that the patient has a terminal illness, that they have capacity, and that they are not being coerced or pressured. Again, it is for the second doctor to make sure that the patient has a …”

“Q Following up on that, in the cases in which you authorised prosecution for murder or manslaughter, were issues of coercion ever involved? What were the bold points—the top lines—of those prosecutions? Sir Max Hill: That small handful of cases involved an elderly couple where either he—it was usually a he—or she had c…”

“So would it be safe? Professor Whitty: We would want to have the time to do that, but you can do things at speed if you need to. My view is that this is something that is best not done at speed if we can avoid it.”

“Q I am a former NHS commissioner, Sir Chris. In Bradford West, we have stark health inequalities. Dr Jamilla Hussain, as part of John Wright’s team, will be providing evidence this week. She has found huge mistrust among marginalised ethnic groups—even more so since covid. We know that covid brought to light the inequa…”

“Q Thank you very much for those introductions. I have a few questions for each person on the panel. Mr Sanderson, do you think palliative care in this country is fit for purpose? James Sanderson: There are clearly gaps in the provision of palliative care. However, to start with a positive, I think that the provision of…”

“Q Sir Chris, I draw your attention to clause 42(3): “But if any provision of this Act has not been fully brought into force before the end of the period of 2 years beginning with the day on which this Act is passed, that provision (so far as not already in force) comes into force at the end of that period.” My question…”

“There is nothing in my amendment that suggests Professor Monckton-Smith is not capable in her expertise. I am asking for other expertise to be brought to the table. Yes, there is the argument that people can submit written evidence—but so could every witness we have heard from today, and that we will hear from tomorrow…”

“I beg to move an amendment to motion (a), at end insert— “Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass, Cherry Henry-Leach of STADA, Standing Together Against Domestic Abuse ”. I completely agree with my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley and I am grateful to her for adding Professor Jane Monckton-Smith to the witness list. …”

“Q But there are cases where insurance companies would stop paying for the treatment of the individual. Am I right? Dr Spielvogel: No, I actually do not think that you are right. When we are talking about lifesaving interventions such as chemotherapy or dialysis, that is not correct. They are bound by law to cover all t…”

“Q Sorry, but just to clarify, the question was: would the availability of Medicare apply to all those conditions that come under the six-month prognosis? As for kidney failure, would they be entitled to Medicare? Would all the other conditions included also be entitled to Medicare once the insurance ran out? Dr Spielvo…”

“Q Yes, but does it cover any conditions that would fall under the scope of a six-month bill? Dr Spielvogel: If you have a six-month prognosis to live, regardless of the condition, that would fall under this. That would make you eligible. That has nothing to do with insurance coverage for your condition. Insurance cover…”

“Q Does that cover all conditions? Dr Spielvogel: We were just talking about kidney disease.”

“Q When it comes to renal failure, in particular, there are people who can request assisted dying because their insurance company will not pay for more than six months. Here we have an NHS, in which there is no limit on the kind of interventions you would have to live a longer life. Dr Spielvogel: That is not factually …”

“Q In California—we are talking specifically about renal failure—they have got a six-month limit, in some cases, because of insurance policies. Is that being broadened out? I understand there is a huge difference in American politics in the laws regarding lobby groups, and so on, and the influence of those insurance com…”

“Q Dr Spielvogel, there is a Bill in California, SB 1196, which was introduced on 24 February 2024. It proposes, first, to remove the six-month terminal illness prognosis and allow requests from those with a “grievous and irremediable” disease causing unbearable suffering; secondly, to allow dementia patients to request…”

“Q Dr Ahmedzai, in the evidence you submitted, you said: “I have studied the reports from, and spoken with medical and nursing clinicians from US and Australian jurisdictions and am satisfied that external coercion has never been reported or led to a prosecution.” The state of Oregon carried out a survey of people who d…”

“I welcome my hon. Friend’s intervention and I recognise Laura Hoyano’s expertise. I would respectfully push back that, as a victim of domestic violence—as a person who has experienced it and campaigned on it for all my adult life—there is a difference between an academic who has studied it and people who have worked wi…”

“Q I have just one question, and it is for Sir Max. You have said that you were very concerned about the CPS, during your time at DPP, having to investigate people who accompanied their loved ones to Switzerland to end their lives. I share that concern. However, my understanding is that around half of those who currentl…”