Speeches by Leadbeater.

“But those deaths do exist.”

“Does anybody else want to comment? Dr Cox? Dr Cox: I am happy to. Of course we do not want people to have to make that choice. I will refer to everything I have said before: are they are making a real choice, and have they had access to really excellent palliative care? I also make a brief point about the impact of the…”

“Q I have a very quick one. You talked about inequality in healthcare and in systems. What I would like to come back to is the status quo. What are your comments on the inequality that exists currently, where assisted dying is available to people who have got the money to go to Switzerland, or another jurisdiction, and …”

“Can I ask a quick follow-up, Chair?”

“Q Goodness me, there is a lot to cover. To go back to your point, Mr Sanderson, it is important to acknowledge the fantastic work that palliative care professionals do. Indeed, it is extremely important that we are having these conversations, which is why we gave extra time to this panel of witnesses. Dr Cox, on your p…”

“Yes. It sounds as though you are saying that your professionals are trained to have those conversations, which is very reassuring. Glyn, do you want to add anything? Glyn Berry: Just to say that I absolutely agree with Professor Ranger. My experience of working with palliative nurses, and nurses in general, is long, an…”

“Q That is incredibly helpful, thank you. You are absolutely right to bring it back to patient autonomy—patient choice—so that, while putting all the safeguards in place, we are very clear that it is their genuine choice based on what they really want to do. It sounds as though you are saying—”

“Q Thank you for coming and giving evidence today, and for meeting with me recently. You both represent organisations that have neutral positions on assisted dying. I am really interested in this multidisciplinary approach that you are talking about, and I think it is a really valuable conversation, so thank you for rai…”

“Q That is very helpful. Let me turn to when the GMC guidance on arrangements about assistance to die is raised with practitioners. Part of the guidance is that practitioners have to “respect competent patients’ right to make decisions about their care, including their right to refuse treatment, even if this will lead t…”

“Q Exactly, so although the terminology of “refer” might not be quite right, are we saying that we have got to provide that patient with a course of action? Dr Green: Yes. It is the “referral” word that is problematic for us.”

“I take that point on board. I had a very productive meeting with the Association of Palliative Care Social Workers yesterday, and we had a useful conversation on that issue.”

“On 29 November last year, in a debate widely described as showing Parliament at its best, this House sent the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill into Committee for scrutiny by a majority of 55. It was the clear will of this place that the Bill should be allowed to proceed, in the knowledge that Members will have …”

“I respect the right hon. Gentleman’s question, but I would say that point is slightly out of the scope of the money resolution. However, I think it is a fair point, and I acknowledge that a lot of work is being done, as the Government said it would be, to look at the workability and operability of the Bill. I am workin…”

“I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. Having done such a powerful job of debating this issue on Second Reading, it is crucial that we continue that debate in the right manner, as Parliament voted to do. It would be wrong for anything that happens today to put a stop to that debate and those discussions. Let us not fo…”

“I beg to move, That the Committee do sit in private to consider matters relating to the sittings motion. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger, and to be here for the first formal meeting of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill Committee. Ahead of the oral evidence sessions next week and …”

“I thank colleagues for their time this afternoon. It has been an extremely productive session. I am very proud of the tone of the debate: I think we have done a very good job, as we did on Second Reading, of showing this place in a good light. I reiterate that there are a range of views in this Bill Committee, in the s…”

“On a point of order, Sir Roger. All those names were not submitted.”

“On a point of order, Sir Roger. My hon. Friend has just mentioned two names that are not in her amendment, and I find that slightly confusing.”

“I beg to move, That— (1) the Committee shall (in addition to its first meeting at 2.00 pm on Tuesday 21 January) meet— (a) at 9.25 am and 2.00 pm on Tuesday 28 January; (b) at 9.25 am and 2.00 pm on Wednesday 29 January; (c) at 11.30 am and 1.00 pm on Thursday 30 January. (2) during further proceedings on the Terminall…”

“On a point of order, Sir Roger. That, again, is factually incorrect. We have already said that there will be a private sitting for conversations about individual witnesses, including some that the hon. Gentleman has already started talking about, and then we will open again to the public so that everybody can hear the …”