The British Humanist Association (BHA) has submitted a memorandum to the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill Committee, which is scrutinising a new Bill on assisted dying. The ‘End of Life Choices (Scotland)’ Bill was introduced into the Scottish Parliament earlier this year by independent MSP Margo Macdonald, who herself has Parkinson’s disease. 

Naomi Phillips, BHA Head of Public Affairs, said, ‘We consider this new Bill to be sensible, ethical and forward-thinking. It contains strict medical and legal safeguards of the types and level that are necessary to protect vulnerable people from being coerced into making choices at end of life that they do not want. We believe that it is an enabling Bill respects and upholds human rights and that it would endow people with real choices at end of life. Ideally, we want to see a reformed law throughout the UK.’

Notes

Read the BHA’s memorandum.

According to the 26th report of the British Social Attitudes Survey published in 2010, 71% of religious people and 92% non-religious (82% in total) believe that a doctor should be allowed to end the life of a patient with an incurable disease. http://www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns/religion-and-belief-surveys-statistics

For any further questions or information, please contact Naomi Phillips on 020 7079 3585.

Read more about the BHA’s work on reforming the law on assisted dying.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK.