Jersey passes assisted dying legislation but bill for England and Wales remains blocked

The Isle of Man – population around 85,000 – also expects a very small number of assisted deaths each year.

Which brings us to the parliaments in England, Wales and Scotland where assisted dying laws are still under scrutiny.

On Tuesday, the Senedd in Cardiff approved assisted dying in Wales, dependent on the result of a bill currently going through the House of Lords at Westminster.

This needs some explanation. The private member’s bill, introduced by Kim Leadbeater MP, external, would allow assisted dying in England and Wales. But it gives powers to the Welsh government regarding implementation.

Had the vote gone the other way at the Senedd, and the Westminster bill been passed, it would have meant that assisted dying in Wales would only be available from private providers, not within the NHS.

Many MSs rue the fact that, unlike Scotland or the Crown Dependencies, the Welsh Assembly does not have the power to introduce its own assisted dying law.

The Leadbeater bill is in deep trouble in the Lords. Despite passing all its stages in the Commons, it seems certain it will run out of time. More than 1,200 amendments have been tabled in the Lords, 700 of those by just 8 peers.

If the bill is not passed before the end of this parliamentary session, it fails.

It will be open to another MP to reintroduce the bill after the next King’s speech, but that depends on assisted dying campaigners being able to persuade one of those at the top of the private members ballot to champion their cause.

The bill would then have to go through all its Commons stages again and go back to the Lords. The Parliament Act could be invoked, which effectively stops the upper house from blocking Commons bills for more than one session.

Finally, to Scotland, where an assisted dying bill is awaiting a final debate and vote next month.

The Member’s Bill, introduced by Liam McArthur MSP, is at Stage 3. If the vote goes through, it will then go for Royal Assent.

Unlike at Westminster, there would not be the requirement for a multi-disciplinary panel of a lawyer, psychiatrist and social worker to review each case.

Finally, mention of Northern Ireland. Assisted dying is a devolved issue, so it would be up to the Northern Ireland Assembly to introduce any legislation. That looks unlikely for the time being.