Meetings
NDM8656 Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) - Assisted dying
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Meeting: 23/10/2024 - Plenary (Item 5)
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv) - Assisted dying
NDM8656 Julie
Morgan (Cardiff North)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that responsibility for legislating
to allow assisted dying is not devolved to Wales as it is currently a matter
governed by criminal law.
2. Notes that if assisted dying were to
be legalised, and given its responsibility for health and social care, the
Welsh Government would require an in-depth understanding of any proposals.
3. Believes that adults of sound mind who are
intolerably suffering from an incurable, physical condition and have a clear
and settled wish to die should have the option of an assisted death, subject to
robust safeguards.
4. Notes that a recent inquiry by the
Westminster Health and Social Care Committee found that the introduction of
assisted dying has been linked with an improvement in palliative care in
several jurisdictions.
5. Notes that the Office of Health Economics
found that even if they received the best possible palliative medicine, in
England and Wales at least 5,000 per year would die without any effective pain
relief in their final month.
6. Notes that public attitudes towards
assisted dying have changed, with up to 88% of the public favouring a change in
the law.
7. Notes that more than one suffering person
a week from the UK now chooses to end their life at one of the Swiss
end-of-life centres, yet many others who would choose the same cannot afford
the high costs involved, often well over £10,000.
8. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) support the principles of assisted dying;
and
b) support Westminster parliament to
introduce a compassionate assisted dying law in England and Wales.
Co-submitters
Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)
Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)
Supporters
Minutes:
The item started at 15.39
Voting
on the motion under this item was deferred until Voting Time.
NDM8656 Julie Morgan (Cardiff
North)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Notes that responsibility for legislating to allow assisted dying is not
devolved to Wales as it is currently a matter governed by criminal law.
2.
Notes that if assisted dying were to be legalised, and given its
responsibility for health and social care, the Welsh Government would require
an in-depth understanding of any proposals.
3.
Believes that adults of sound mind who are intolerably suffering from an
incurable, physical condition and have a clear and settled wish to die should
have the option of an assisted death, subject to robust safeguards.
4.
Notes that a recent inquiry by the Westminster Health and Social Care Committee
found that the introduction of assisted dying has been linked with an
improvement in palliative care in several jurisdictions.
5.
Notes that the Office of Health Economics found that even if they received the
best possible palliative medicine, in England and Wales at least 5,000 per year
would die without any effective pain relief in their final month.
6.
Notes that public attitudes towards assisted dying have changed, with up to 88%
of the public favouring a change in the law.
7.
Notes that more than one suffering person a week from the UK now chooses to end
their life at one of the Swiss end-of-life centres, yet many others who would
choose the same cannot afford the high costs involved, often well over £10,000.
8.
Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a)
support the principles of assisted dying; and
b)
support Westminster parliament to introduce a compassionate assisted dying law
in England and Wales.
Co-submitters
Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)
Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)
Supporters
Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)
Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)
The
result was as follows:
|
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
|
19 |
9 |
26 |
54 |
The motion was not agreed.