The committee continues to examine the amendments in the bill. Like the previous week almost all the amendments were rejected. Some key points so far: –

• Efforts to allow hospices and residential homes to opt out of assisted suicide “services” were characterised as creating barriers to healthcare. Hospices may be forced to close or have no protection against being defunded by health boards, if they are unwilling to assist their patients to die by suicide.
• An attempt to ensure that the vulnerable were not driven to seek a hastened death due to failure in the social care system was soundly defeated. Amendments backed by social workers and psychiatrists were also voted down.

Many MSPs said they supported the Bill in principle to allow further debate on the condition that robust safeguards would follow. Those safeguards have not materialised. Please continue to pray and to lobby your MSPs to now vote against this evil bill. Use the link below.

Scotland: Oppose the assisted suicide bill

UPDATE ON ASSISTED SUICIDE BILL – WESTMINSTER

The Lords have now heard several weeks of expert evidence. Some key points stated by witnesses: –

• The Bill’s safeguards do not protect against coercion
• The safeguards in the Bill are simply not adequate to establish whether someone requesting assisted suicide was trying to escape their abuse or the suffering caused by their illness.
• Suicides are happening in incredibly high numbers, and this [Bill] might make that worse.
• The Hospice sector is on the brink and the situation is getting worse.
• Almost a dozen hospices have announced significant and involuntary cuts to staff and services due to financial pressures since the Leadbetter Bill was introduced to Parliament

The Lords will now begin to consider all the amendments along with the oral and written evidence from witnesses. Please continue to pray and to send letters to Lords to oppose this evil bill. Use the link below. https://spuc.org.uk/campaign/assistedsuicideuk/