Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Merron on 15 October (HL10682), whether they will publish the notes of the meetings with the promoters of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the actions taken as a result of those meetings in the Library of the House.

The Government does not intend to place the requested advice or correspondence related to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill into the Library of the House.

Government advice and correspondence related to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is in line with Government policy to ensure coherence of the statute book, and to help to ensure the bill is workable, whilst remaining neutral on the matter of assisted dying. In relation to legislative consent motions, requesting legislative consent motions from Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland is a matter for the sponsor. The Government continues to offer technical advice to ensure the devolution settlement is respected.

The Department recognises the importance of promoting openness and transparency in Government. However, it is also in the public interest that the Government can engage confidentially with the sponsors of the bill, so that the advice the Department provides in relation to the operability and soundness of the bill can be free and frank, both in relation to this bill and any future private member’s bill where the Government engages closely with the sponsor.