Campaigners have raised concerns about a “democratic deficit” in scrutiny of assisted suicide Bills at both Westminster and Holyrood.
At Westminster, a 23-member committee has just been selected to scrutinise a Bill from Kim Leadbeater. MPs on the committee who support her Bill outnumber opponents by nine to 14, according to reports. Critics also note that the three medically qualified MPs on the committee are all supportive of assisted suicide.
In Scotland, Holyrood’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has been tasked with scrutinising legislation from Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur. Seven out of ten members of this committee were co-signatories of Mr McArthur’s Bill proposal in 2021, helping him win the right to bring forward legislation.
Committee scrutiny of McArthur’s Bill is markedly different to scrutiny of previous proposals. In 2010, a Bill was considered by a bespoke committee comprised of MSPs who were yet to publicly declare a view. And in 2015, the Health and Sport Committee was assisted by an independent ethical advisor during its deliberations.
Better Way warns that an imbalance on parliamentary committees could have “real-world consequences”. Dr Miro Griffiths, spokesman for the campaign, said:
“The apparent imbalance on committees tasked with scrutinising assisted suicide is concerning. Legislatures should strive for balanced scrutiny of every policy and take account of potential conflicts of interest. With a controversial issue such as doctor-assisted death, the thought of a democratic deficit is even more troubling.
“Members of the public need to be assured that their political representatives are pursuing as rigorous and impartial an approach to scrutiny as possible. And those who oppose a change in the law in this area – including many disabled people and people who work with vulnerable adults – are anxious to see their concerns taken seriously.”
Dr Griffiths added:
“An imbalance on committees scrutinising these Bills will have real-world consequences if they go on to become law. It may later be felt that additional or different amendments could have been agreed to if there was a more even split during votes on proposed changes. A less balanced approach could result in worse law.
“We would urge relevant authorities in both parliaments to take account of the concerns being raised about committee scrutiny and consider changing the make-up of committees to allow for a more balanced approach. Failing to do so will risk both poor policy outcomes and an erosion of public trust in the political process.”
ENDS
About Better Way
Better Way campaign opposes assisted suicide, sets out an alternative vision, and provides a platform for marginalised voices. The campaign is supported by experts in several fields including medicine, disability advocacy, and sociology.
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