SPUC is calling on its supporters to respond to a public consultation that has been launched on a bill proposed by Liam McArthur MSP to legalise assisted suicide in Scotland. Michael Robinson, SPUC Executive Director (Public Affairs & Legal Services), said: “It is important that as many people as possible respond to this consultation.”

SPUC’s Mr. Robinson said: “We must send a strong message to Mr. McArthur, MSPs and the Scottish Government: that assisted suicide is a dangerous and unethical practice that must never be legalised in Scotland or any other part of the UK.”

The proposed Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would allow death to be brought about “by means of medication provided by a doctor for that purpose”.

The key features of the proposal are:

• The terminally ill patient would sign a declaration that they wish to end their life in front of two independent witnesses. It must then be signed by the attending doctor and a second doctor.
• A doctor or a nurse must deliver the life-ending drugs and be present when the person takes them.
• A person would be eligible for death if they are deemed by doctors as “unable to recover”, regardless of the time they have left to live.
• The proposal acknowledges the importance of medical practitioners being able to conscientiously object to taking part in an assisted suicide process, but “if the Bill becomes law it would be the patient’s legal right to request assistance, and a referral to an alternative doctor should be made if the initial doctor refuses to assist the patient to die.

Any member of the public can respond to this consultation, which runs until Wednesday 22 December 2021.

Assistance in responding to consultation

SPUC has produced a briefing to help people to respond to the consultation, giving suggestions about how to answer questions.

Copies of this briefing can be ordered here.

Please consider giving copies of this briefing to family and friends. Please also promote responding to this consultation within church and other community groups.

SPUC calls for action

Mr. Robinson said: “As expected, the proposed law is deliberately dressed up in the language of reasonableness, autonomy and safeguards. However, you and I know the only safeguard against abuse of such a law is to not introduce legalised killing in the first place.

“Together we have already defeated two attempts to introduce assisted suicide in Scotland and I know we can again.”