MPs heard that a High Court judge’s review of assisted dying cases is unnecessary, according to former Supreme Court Justice Lord Sumption.
London: A former Supreme Court Justice thinks the High Court shouldn’t review assisted dying cases. Lord Sumption shared his views with MPs recently.
He mentioned that Kim Leadbeater’s Bill has three layers of scrutiny. It requires sign-off from two doctors and a High Court judge. However, he believes this extra step is unnecessary.
Lord Sumption called the Bill’s procedures “over-engineered.” He feels the added scrutiny offers a false sense of protection. He supports the Bill’s principles but warns that detecting coercion is tough.
Dr. Lewis Graham, a human rights expert, also spoke to the committee. He noted that courts usually respect Parliament’s decisions on assisted dying. He thinks challenges to the Bill are unlikely to succeed.
Dr. Graham agreed that the Bill has more safeguards than similar laws in Europe. Meanwhile, Fazilet Hadi from Disability Rights UK expressed her opposition to the Bill.
She argued that doctors often undervalue the lives of disabled individuals. Hadi worries that the Bill could lead to pressure on disabled people to choose assisted dying.
On the other hand, Sir Tom Shakespeare, a disability researcher, supports assisted dying. He believes the Bill’s focus on terminal illness offers safety for disabled individuals.
Sir Tom argues that terminally ill disabled people should have control over their lives. He believes it can ease the fear of a painful death.
Dr. Miro Griffiths raised concerns about societal pressure on disabled individuals. He questioned if someone who stops using medical support would be seen as terminally ill.
The committee also heard from end-of-life care experts. Toby Porter from Hospice UK emphasized the need for better palliative care.
He stated that pointing out palliative care issues isn’t a stance for or against assisted dying. Porter believes it would be wrong for someone to choose assisted dying due to inadequate care.
Many MPs agreed that improving palliative care is essential, regardless of the assisted dying debate.
