Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: Amendment 94

Friday, 20 June 2025 · Division No. 244 · Commons

274Ayes

–

224Noes

Passed

154 MPs did not vote

cross-cuttingFree voteAssisted Dying Safeguards(Yes)Restrictive Terminal Illness Definition(Yes)Pro Assisted Dying Access(No)End Of Life Autonomy(No)

Voting Yes means

Support tightening the definition of terminal illness to exclude cases where someone has brought themselves to that condition by voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, preventing the bill's scope from being expanded through this route.

Voting No means

Oppose this restriction, either because it is unnecessary, could harm legitimate cases, or because it might complicate care for patients who have already chosen to stop eating and drinking for other reasons.

What happened: The House of Commons voted on 20 June 2025 to pass Amendment 94 to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, by 274 votes to 224. The amendment concerned specific changes to the framework governing how assisted dying would be implemented, relating to medical professional involvement and the practical operation of the proposed scheme.

Why it matters: Amendment 94 formed part of a series of votes shaping the detailed rules of the Bill before it passed its Third Reading later the same day. The amendment advanced provisions that supporters characterised as improving access and practical implementation of assisted dying for terminally ill adults, while opponents argued it moved the framework in a direction they considered insufficiently cautious or contrary to established medical ethics. The outcome of this and related votes determined the precise legal architecture under which terminally ill adults in England and Wales could seek assistance to end their lives, affecting patients, doctors, and healthcare institutions.

The politics: The vote cut across conventional party lines, as has been characteristic of the entire Bill's passage, with members voting according to conscience rather than whipped party positions. Labour MPs split 183 in favour and 110 against (with the Labour and Co-operative grouping adding 18 ayes and 11 noes), Liberal Democrats divided 51 to 12 in favour, and Conservatives voted 13 to 65 against. The Democratic Unionist Party, Plaid Cymru, and the Ulster Unionist Party voted entirely in opposition. The amendment passed as part of a sequence of divisions on 20 June 2025 that also included the Bill's successful Third Reading by 314 votes to 291, marking a significant legislative milestone.