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| Hewitt seeking suicide law change | Hewitt seeking suicide law change |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Former Labour health secretary Patricia Hewitt is urging MPs to make it legal for people to take terminally ill patients abroad for assisted suicide. | Former Labour health secretary Patricia Hewitt is urging MPs to make it legal for people to take terminally ill patients abroad for assisted suicide. |
| The MP has tabled an amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill seeking a law change "in line with current practice". | The MP has tabled an amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill seeking a law change "in line with current practice". |
| The amendment, which may be debated but not voted on at this stage, is not thought to have much chance of success. | The amendment, which may be debated but not voted on at this stage, is not thought to have much chance of success. |
| Care Not Killing, which opposes assisted suicide, said the effect of Ms Hewitt's amendment would be "tragic". | Care Not Killing, which opposes assisted suicide, said the effect of Ms Hewitt's amendment would be "tragic". |
| BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said the government did not plan to change the law and the amendment, which has been signed by a handful of Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem MPs, was unlikely to pass. | BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said the government did not plan to change the law and the amendment, which has been signed by a handful of Labour, Conservative and Lib Dem MPs, was unlikely to pass. |
| More than 100 MPs have signed a Commons motion calling for the issue to be debated. | More than 100 MPs have signed a Commons motion calling for the issue to be debated. |
| Purdy case | Purdy case |
| Ms Hewitt said: "In the long term we need a bill to change the law to allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults, suffering at the end of their lives, the choice of an assisted death, within safeguards, in this country.Debbie Purdy is concerned her husband could be prosecuted | Ms Hewitt said: "In the long term we need a bill to change the law to allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults, suffering at the end of their lives, the choice of an assisted death, within safeguards, in this country.Debbie Purdy is concerned her husband could be prosecuted |
| "In the meantime, I hope that the amendment I have tabled will prompt the long overdue parliamentary debate necessary to bring the law on assisted suicide in line with the practice of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the courts." | "In the meantime, I hope that the amendment I have tabled will prompt the long overdue parliamentary debate necessary to bring the law on assisted suicide in line with the practice of the director of public prosecutions (DPP) and the courts." |
| Multiple sclerosis patient Debbie Purdy has been trying to clarify the law on assisted suicide. | Multiple sclerosis patient Debbie Purdy has been trying to clarify the law on assisted suicide. |
| The 45-year-old, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, has suggested that in the future she may want to travel to Swiss euthanasia centre Dignitas to die. | The 45-year-old, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, has suggested that in the future she may want to travel to Swiss euthanasia centre Dignitas to die. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme She wants her husband by her side and has sought clarification on whether he would be prosecuted on his return home. | |
| But in October, two senior judges ruled the current guidelines were adequate and she subsequently lost her appeal against the ruling last month. | But in October, two senior judges ruled the current guidelines were adequate and she subsequently lost her appeal against the ruling last month. |
| The Appeal Court judges said the DPP could not adopt a "case-specific policy in the kind of certain terms sought by Ms Purdy". | The Appeal Court judges said the DPP could not adopt a "case-specific policy in the kind of certain terms sought by Ms Purdy". |
| Their ruling said it had to be parliament which decided if the law should change. | Their ruling said it had to be parliament which decided if the law should change. |
| No prosecutions | No prosecutions |
| Since Dignitas opened in 1998, more than 100 British citizens have ended their lives in Switzerland, where it is legal to aid and abet a suicide, provided it has not been carried out for a profit. | Since Dignitas opened in 1998, more than 100 British citizens have ended their lives in Switzerland, where it is legal to aid and abet a suicide, provided it has not been carried out for a profit. |
| It is illegal in the UK and anyone convicted faces up to 14 years in prison. The result would be a law that discouraged suicide with one hand and encouraged it with the other. That would be farcical as well as tragic Care Not Killing | It is illegal in the UK and anyone convicted faces up to 14 years in prison. The result would be a law that discouraged suicide with one hand and encouraged it with the other. That would be farcical as well as tragic Care Not Killing |
| While there have been no prosecutions of relatives to date, the DPP has carried out investigations into cases. | While there have been no prosecutions of relatives to date, the DPP has carried out investigations into cases. |
| At the end of last year, the parents of Daniel James were told they would not face charges over his death. | At the end of last year, the parents of Daniel James were told they would not face charges over his death. |
| The 23-year-old, from Worcester, was paralysed in a rugby accident and ended his life in Switzerland in September even though he was not terminally ill. | The 23-year-old, from Worcester, was paralysed in a rugby accident and ended his life in Switzerland in September even though he was not terminally ill. |
| Mark and Julie James made payments to Dignitas, sent documents and made travel arrangements to take their son to Switzerland. | Mark and Julie James made payments to Dignitas, sent documents and made travel arrangements to take their son to Switzerland. |
| DPP Keir Starmer QC said while there was "sufficient evidence" to prosecute the couple, their "fiercely independent son" had not been influenced by his parents and so charging them would not be in the public interest. | DPP Keir Starmer QC said while there was "sufficient evidence" to prosecute the couple, their "fiercely independent son" had not been influenced by his parents and so charging them would not be in the public interest. |
| 'Rational decisions' | 'Rational decisions' |
| Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the Dignity in Dying group, said: "Currently the Coroners and Justice Bill fails to distinguish between maliciously encouraging a suicide and compassionately assisting a terminally ill, mentally competent adult who wants to die. | Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the Dignity in Dying group, said: "Currently the Coroners and Justice Bill fails to distinguish between maliciously encouraging a suicide and compassionately assisting a terminally ill, mentally competent adult who wants to die. |
| "Clearly the law should protect vulnerable people from abuse, but at the same time it should not criminalise people who accompany those who make rational decisions to end their suffering." | "Clearly the law should protect vulnerable people from abuse, but at the same time it should not criminalise people who accompany those who make rational decisions to end their suffering." |
| But Peter Saunders, director of Care Not Killing, said: "The government is, commendably, trying to protect vulnerable people by tightening up the Suicide Act to outlaw internet websites that encourage suicide. | But Peter Saunders, director of Care Not Killing, said: "The government is, commendably, trying to protect vulnerable people by tightening up the Suicide Act to outlaw internet websites that encourage suicide. |
| "And yet here we have the euthanasia lobby trying... to encourage suicide by removing any risk of prosecution for anyone assisting someone to go abroad for euthanasia or assisted suicide. | "And yet here we have the euthanasia lobby trying... to encourage suicide by removing any risk of prosecution for anyone assisting someone to go abroad for euthanasia or assisted suicide. |
| "The result would be a law that discouraged suicide with one hand and encouraged it with the other. That would be farcical as well as tragic." | "The result would be a law that discouraged suicide with one hand and encouraged it with the other. That would be farcical as well as tragic." |
| He added: "Make no mistake: this amendment is just a precursor to a more general euthanasia law." | He added: "Make no mistake: this amendment is just a precursor to a more general euthanasia law." |
| Ms Hewitt's amendment has been signed by Conservative MPs Crispin Blunt and Richard Ottaway, Labour's Kevin Barron, James Plaskitt and Chris McCafferty and Lib Dem Evan Harris. | Ms Hewitt's amendment has been signed by Conservative MPs Crispin Blunt and Richard Ottaway, Labour's Kevin Barron, James Plaskitt and Chris McCafferty and Lib Dem Evan Harris. |
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| Should the law be changed regarding assisted suicide? Have you or your family been affected by issues raised in this story? | Should the law be changed regarding assisted suicide? Have you or your family been affected by issues raised in this story? |
| Send your comments using the post form below. | Send your comments using the post form below. |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |