Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Baroness Blackstone Excerpts

Friday 21st November 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Dodds of Duncairn (DUP)]

Some noble Lords are becoming exasperated or resentful about the time that we are taking to consider these important amendments today. I say gently that, had some of these issues been dealt with in a different way in the other place, we would not have to spend the time we are spending in this House dealing with them. When we consider the number of days in Committee that we spend on important Bills that come before us—sometimes 11 or 12 days in Committee and another three, four or five days on Report—it is not unreasonable that we spend at least a few hours to consider matters of life and death.

These amendments relating to coercion are at the heart of some of the concerns that many people have about the Bill. Coercion is central to the concerns. We have heard about financial and emotional abuse, about external influences, people feeling a burden and wanting to relieve themselves of that burden. These are critical issues—they are real issues. Those of us who have served as Members of Parliament, who have worked in the community and who have dealt with real people in real communities understand and know the reality of what we are talking about.

It can be easy to dismiss these issues sometimes. We sometimes see people speak on television who are very strong and confident, with lots of family support and resources around them. But I was struck today by the words of the noble Lord, Lord Deben: we must speak up for the vulnerable. I came across many vulnerable people in my work as an MP in one of the most deprived areas of Belfast, and they suffered in great loneliness and financially straitened circumstances. They felt pressure in today’s environment, where suicide is something that people undergo. In this situation, will the safeguards being introduced be stronger than what we have today?

A new regime is being set up whereby, for the first time, the state and all its resources will be made available to assist another person to end their life. That is a very different set of circumstances. All the pressures and influences that vulnerable people come under today will be massively increased and amplified when this new law comes into place—if it does.

It is very important that we take the time to consider these matters. I support the amendments in this group, to a greater or lesser extent, and very much agree with the sentiments argued by the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, about encouragement. That is something that needs to be in the Bill if we are to provide all the necessary safeguards. Whether you are for the Bill or against it in principle, surely we need the most robust and strongest possible safeguards against coercion, pressure, encouragement or otherwise.

[Baroness Blackstone (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Shinkwin (Con)]

My Lords—

[Baroness Blackstone (Lab)]

We have given an enormous amount of time to looking at safeguards. The noble Lord just totally denied that and said that we have to begin all over again. We do not. This debate has regrettably been characterised by too few of the speakers giving any consideration at all to the important, tough safeguards already decided in the House of Commons. I will not go through them now, in the interests of time, because I that know my noble and learned friend Lord Falconer will, when he responds to this debate.

[Lord Shinkwin (Con)]

My Lords—