The Health Secretary today declined to assure MPs that the introduction of assisted dying in England and Wales will be ‘safe’.
Wes Streeting, who is opposed to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, awkwardly fell silent when quizzed about possible harms from the controversial legislation.
After a long pause, he then went on to suggest a lack of ‘high-quality’ palliative care services might leave some people feeling ‘compelled to take up an assisted death’.
If passed, the Bill will allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death.
Applications will be subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist.
Appearing before the Health and Social Care committee on Wednesday, Mr Streeting agreed with an assessment there is currently a ‘postcode lottery’ in palliative care provision.
He was then asked about the impact of introducing assisted dying ‘whatever the state of social care’ and while there is a ‘workforce crisis’ in end-of-life care.
The Health Secretary struggled to provide an answer as he attempted to maintain Government neutrality on assisted dying, despite his personal opposition to the Bill.
Josh Fenton-Glynn, the Labour MP for Calder Valley, asked Mr Streeting about a clause that will see the Bill’s provisions automatically come into force after four years.
‘We’ve got this workforce crisis and we’ve got experienced staff leaving, we’ve got what looks to be a postcode lottery in provision,’ he said.
‘We’ve also have the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill coming down the pipe, which has an auto-commencement clause after four years whatever the state of social care.
‘As Health Secretary, do you think it’s safe to pass legislation with auto-commencement in it after four years against this backdrop?’
After a long pause, Mr Streeting merely replied: ‘That is a decision for Parliament.’
Pressed again by Mr Fenton-Glynn on whether he thought it would be ‘safe’, the Health Secretary only added: ‘The Government is neutral.’
Asked once more whether he had ‘safety concerns’, Mr Streeting then said: ‘I would like to make sure that were Parliament minded to proceed with the Bill and see it through to completion and onto the statute book… that we have high-quality palliative end-of-life care services.
‘So that there is a real choice and no one feels compelled to take up an assisted death through the absence of palliative and end-of-life care services.
‘That is not where we are as a country at present.’
As he faced another question about the Bill by Mr Fenton-Glynn, Mr Streeting thanked Samantha Jones, his top official at the Department for Health and Social Care, for intervening.
‘Yes please permanent secretary; save me from this line of questioning,’ the Cabinet minister said.
Ms Jones went on to tell the committee: ‘It wouldn’t be appropriate for us to pre-empt what’s happening in Parliament for very obvious reasons.
‘We will however, with the Ministry of Justice, ensure that ministers are appropriately briefed on every aspect and every workability aspect of the Bill as we proceed and go forward.
‘I don’t think it would be appropriate at this stage to comment any further.’
Supporters of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – which was introduced to Parliament by Labour backbench MP Kim Leadbeater – are currently facing a battle to get the legislation through the House of Lords.
Peers have tabled more than 1,000 amendments to the Bill, which was approved by the Commons in June, amid claims opponents are trying to sabotage its progress.
Speaking after Wednesday’s session, Mr Fenton-Glynn said: ‘Whatever your view on the Bill it should be safe.
‘The Health Secretary couldn’t guarantee it was safe and he admitted as it stands people could be compelled to take an early death because of palliative care failings.
‘That’s unacceptable.’
