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Hewitt seeking suicide law change Hewitt seeking suicide law change
(about 1 hour later)
Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt is urging MPs to make it legal for people to take terminally ill patients abroad for assisted suicide. Former health secretary Patricia Hewitt is urging MPs to change the law to allow 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 Labour MP has tabled an amendment to the Coroners and Justice Bill which would protect them from prosecution.
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.
Purdy casePurdy case
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.
Labour MP 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. Ms Hewitt told the BBC she had been "troubled" by the issue for years and was aware more than 700 Britons were members of Dignitas and may choose an assisted suicide in future.
"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." She said her amendment was only "reinforcing the current prosecution policy".
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programmeFROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
Multiple sclerosis patient Debbie Purdy has been trying to clarify the law on assisted suicide. But if she got the chance in the future to introduce a private members' bill she would like a specific law to allow people who are terminally ill but "mentally competent" the choice of an assisted death.
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. In October multiple sclerosis patient Debbie Purdy lost a High Court case in which she tried to clarify the law on assisted suicide.
She wants her husband by her side and has sought clarification on whether he would be prosecuted on his return home. She wanted a guarantee from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) that her husband would not be prosecuted for murder if he assisted her death in Swiss euthanasia clinic Dignitas.
But in October, two senior judges ruled the current guidelines were adequate and she subsequently lost her appeal against the ruling last month.
No prosecutionsNo prosecutions
The Appeal Court judges said the DPP could not adopt a "case-specific policy in the kind of certain terms sought by Ms Purdy". But two senior judges ruled the current guidelines were adequate. The Appeal Court 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.
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 KillingIt 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 23-year-old Daniel James, who was paralysed in a rugby accident, 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. He 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. 'Quite clear'
'Rational decisions' Director of Public Prosections 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. Liberal Democrat peer Lord Carlile said the current system should be left broadly as it is and the law was actually "quite clear".
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. "There is a law against assisting suicide and there is also an important constitutional discretion which can be exercised so that a prosecution may not be brought if it is in the public interest not to bring it," he said.
"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." Making the law "prescriptive" would make using that discretion more difficult, he said.
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. Sarah Wootton, chief executive of the Dignity in Dying group, said the Coroners Bill currently did not distinguish between types of 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. "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," she said.
"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." But Peter Saunders, director of Care Not Killing, said while the government was trying to outlaw websites encouraging suicide, the effect of the amendment would be to encourage it.
He added: "Make no mistake: this amendment is just a precursor to a more general euthanasia law." "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 said.
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.
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?
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