Found: Chair declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to the Committee’s inquiry on Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill The Committee considered this matter.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government which paragraphs of the Explanatory Notes to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, as presented by Lauren Edwards this year, were prepared by or involved the assistance of civil servants.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The number of civil servants working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has varied over time. As of 11 September 2026, there were seven full-time equivalent (FTE) officials working on the bill in the Department of Health and Social Care, 1.3 FTE officials from the Ministry of Justice, and two FTE officials from the Government Legal Department. The bill team has subsequently been disbanded.

The final wording of the Explanatory Notes was a matter entirely for the bill sponsor, but as part of the Government’s duty to the statute book, civil servants did suggest minor factual amendments for the sponsor to consider.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials (FTE) worked on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, including any supported documents, as presented by Lauren Edwards this year.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The number of civil servants working on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has varied over time. As of 11 September 2026, there were seven full-time equivalent (FTE) officials working on the bill in the Department of Health and Social Care, 1.3 FTE officials from the Ministry of Justice, and two FTE officials from the Government Legal Department. The bill team has subsequently been disbanded.

The final wording of the Explanatory Notes was a matter entirely for the bill sponsor, but as part of the Government’s duty to the statute book, civil servants did suggest minor factual amendments for the sponsor to consider.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she will take to ensure that her Department is adequately prepared for Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 11 September.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Ahead of Second Reading, the Department carried out standard preparations, including publishing an impact assessment and other bill products. That work has now ceased.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he will take to ensure that his Department is adequately prepared for Second Reading of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on 11 September.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Government is neutral on assisted dying and the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

The Government has a duty to the statute book and a responsibility to help ensure that any legislation that passes through Parliament is workable, effective and enforceable. Ahead of Second Reading, the Department has published Bill products, such as an Impact Assessment, and is preparing for the Minister to advise the house on the workability of the Bill.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, which of the Private Member's Bills introduced in the last session were originally Government handout Bills, and which in this session is the Government putting forward to Hon Members and noble peers; and whether the Assisted Dying legislation was a handout.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Private Members’ Bills provide an invaluable opportunity for Members to promote the causes they support.

In the first session, the Government supported eight Private Members’ Bills which reached Royal Assent: Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act, Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act, Space Industries (Indemnities) Act, Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Act, Secure 16 to 19 Academies Act, Licensing Hours Extensions Act and the Rare Cancers Act. The Government also supported three Private Members’ Bills which did not reach Royal Assent last session: Controlled Drugs (Procedure for Specification) Bill, Courts (Remote Hearings) Bill and Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill.

For Private Members’ Bills being introduced this session, the Government will make its position known at Second Reading in the usual way.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the previous session was introduced without drafting or policy support from the Government. The Government is neutral on the issue of assisted dying but has an obligation to ensure that any Bill passed by Parliament is operable and workable in order to fulfil its duty to the statute book. In line with this duty, the Government provided advice on matters of legal and technical workability during the passage of the Bill in the last session. The Bill introduced in this session reflects the progress of the Bill in the last session.

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026-27

Duty to assess mental capacity

We call on the Government to honour the democratic mandate of the House of Commons by introducing official legislation to legalise assisted dying. Elected MPs decisively approved the principle of changing the law. Allowing procedural delays to derail this vote undermines our democratic process

Found: The House of Commons previously passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill with clear majorities

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026: ECHR memorandum

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026: equality impact assessment

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026: impact assessment

Found: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026: impact assessment

Found: technologies We also provided advice on several bills in Westminster, including on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Found: PM letter to ministers on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Found: PM letter to ministers on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Found: technologies We also provided advice on several bills in Westminster, including on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill