Speeches by Shah.

“Pharmacies have not been mentioned. Would they have the ability to opt out?”

“In responding to my hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland Central, I appreciate that we do not want to put too much detail in the Bill, but with some of the commitments that we have made as a Government on collecting data we need to go further. That is for the simple reason that our equality laws are not right when we …”

“Amendment 273 would strengthen our position to collect that data, which is really important if we are serious about potentially reviewing the legislation by looking at the loopholes and at which communities are taking up assisted dying. The data in other jurisdictions says that it would be people from affluent backgrou…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we need to clarify this. To sum up, this comes back to some of the questions I have for the Minister, and I wonder whether he can answer some of them. I say that especially because the Committee has had lots of debates on amendments tabled by the Government via my hon. Friend the…”

“My hon. Friend makes a valid point; that is an issue. If we are going to do this right, are we going to be looking at all six characteristics? That is important, so I agree with him.”

“That is not what I am saying. I am saying very clearly that when we recruit people to any job, we ask them to have the values that we have as an organisation. I appreciate my hon. Friend’s intervention, but what he says is certainly not the point I am trying to make, and I cannot imagine anybody—even for religious reas…”

“I beg to move amendment 447, in clause 30, page 18, line 12, leave out “may” and insert “must”. This amendment requires the Secretary of State to issue Codes of Conduct.”

“I am not sure, but I will give it more thought.”

“My hon. Friend makes a very valid point: it is not straightforward. That is why people are tabling amendments and having this discussion—to iron this issue out and make sure we nail it, to make the process as safe as possible. There are laws in our country that protect people’s religious views—for example, we have the …”

“I thank the hon. Member. What he said is really helpful. I want to come back to the issue of opioids. As someone who suffers from chronic pain, my understanding is that I have a choice over whether I take opioids or other medication. So when people are allergic to opioids, they can potentially access other medication f…”

“I thank the hon. Member for East Wiltshire, who has raised some concerns for me. I rise to speak in support of the amendments, but also to raise some points. I share the hon. Gentleman’s concerns, but let me begin by speaking about the bits that I feel pleased with and able to support. My hon. Friend the Member for Spe…”

“If we are talking about employers and employees, not people who are accessing the service as service users, I hope the scenario to which my hon. Friend the Member for Penistone and Stocksbridge referred would not happen.”

“I was not intending to speak to this group, but I am now trying to find amendment 500.”

“I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, which gives me a lot to think about. That is why I said that I genuinely do not have the answers. I want to have this discussion so that I can make the choice whether to support the amendments. I want to explore this issue further, because it is really important.”

“Perfect. I thank my hon. Friend—I like it when we get to amendments that are supported. Amendment 447 would literally change the word “may” to “must” in clause 30. The first four matters that the clause lists are so important that issuing codes of practice cannot be left just as a choice for the Secretary of State; it …”

“Would the Government’s intention not be to sign this duty over to a regulator?”

“My hon. Friend makes a really important point, and I absolutely hear what she is saying. If the woman were going into that hospice or care home when she was pursuing an assisted death, I am not sure how that would work.”

“I absolutely do not think that, because her abortion rights are set out in law. However, I also think that when that woman is going into a refuge, that refuge will make it clear that she may choose not to. It is about empowering both sides. I am grateful for the right hon. Member’s intervention, but let us follow that …”

“I rise to speak to amendments 441 and 484, tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for York Central (Rachael Maskell), and in support of new clause 23, tabled by the hon. Member for Reigate. Amendment 441 would amend clause 23 so that there would be “no obligation on any care home or hospice regulated by the Care Quality C…”

“On a point of order, Mr Dowd. I wish to apologise to you and to Committee members, as I now have to leave. This is not something I want to do, but I have to leave because my hearing aids will need recharging. Without them, I cannot hear. If I cannot hear, I cannot contribute to the scrutiny and the debate, as I would l…”