Ahead of the vote on Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, the Stage 1 debate for which will take place later today (Tuesday 13th May), I would like to make the following statement to lay out my position.
I appreciate that this is an extremely sensitive issue, with strong opinions and genuinely held beliefs on both sides. I have, of course, taken on board the views of constituents on these matters, both those who support the bill and those who oppose it.
I have met with a number of individuals and organisations about the bill - representing both sides of the debate – and I have considered carefully the proposal that has been introduced to the Scottish Parliament. And I would commend Liam McArthur MSP for the efforts he has made to engage positively with both those MSPs who oppose the bill and those who have remained undecided but with serious reservations.
In previous sessions, other attempts to legislate for assisted dying have not been successful, particularly as a result of concerns that the detail of the proposals did not contain sufficient safeguards against unintended negative consequences. Since then, there has continued to be a range of work undertaken to look at examples of how legislation that addresses those concerns could be drafted. However, my concerns with the bill are not limited to those of unintended consequences or the potential “creep” of any legislation.
While I can only praise those who provide palliative care in communities across my Highlands and Islands region, having experienced friends and family suffer from long and difficult deaths I know that even the best palliative care cannot deliver a pain-free death in all cases. And I recognise the ongoing limitations of provision available to many of my constituents. My colleague Miles Brigg’s Proposed Right to Palliative Care (Scotland) Bill - which I fully support - recognises serious problems with provision now; problems which are often more acute in the rural and island communities found across the Highlands and Islands region I represent. These are problems which would not be addressed before any assisted dying provision came into effect.
And in relation to general social care, the Scottish Government has repeatedly failed to deliver much needed improvements to levels of cover, with far too many of my constituents left waiting for assessed levels of support or, in some cases, any support at all.
This means that the options many of my constituents will have in terms of their care when confronted with a terminal illness will be different to those faced by people living in other parts of Scotland where social and palliative care support is more comprehensive.
I am concerned that this lack of adequate support – and a lack of confidence that my constituents may have that they will receive the care they need - risks unduly influencing some extremely vulnerable people when it comes to the decisions they make on how they face a terminal illness.
I believe problems with our care system must be addressed before there can be wide consensus to proceed with assisted dying and I cannot support the introduction of assisted dying until we get palliative and social care support right.
As such, after much consideration, I will be voting No at Stage 1.
I know this will disappoint some people and I make it with some regret. I support the principle of assisted dying, and that the decision of an individual faced with a terminal illness on how they pass should ultimately be theirs to make.
But I cannot support legislation being introduced when I believe the postcode lottery of both palliative and social care support risks leaving my constituents with fewer options than those in other parts of Scotland.
I would like to thank all constituents who have contacted me on this issue.
Yours Sincerely,
Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP
