An update on assisted dying legislation in Westminster and the Scottish Parliament

Last November, the Westminster Parliament voted in favour of considering a proposed law on assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. Read our previous news story on the assisted dying bill.

This week, a committee of MPs heard views from a range of experts on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. This article rounds up all you need to know about the bills in Westminster and the Scottish Parliament, and the next steps.

What we think

Our position on assisted dying remains neutral. We recognise that there are a variety of views on this issue among our members and the wider Parkinson's community. We are not campaigning for or against these bills.

What you need to know about the bill in Westminster

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Westminster Parliament, if passed with the original proposed safeguards, would not legalise assisted dying for people with Parkinson's as a result of their condition alone. This is because the bill would apply only to people who have 2 independent doctors who confirm that they are expected to die within 6 months. It is very unusual for doctors to predict exactly how long a person with Parkinson's might live when they are reaching the end of their life.

A committee of MPs from different political parties has been appointed to hear from stakeholders with more detail about what the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill should say and how it would work.

Sir Nicholas Mostyn is a retired British High Court judge who talks about his personal experience of Parkinson's on the Movers and Shakers podcast. He spoke to the committee on 28 January 2025, giving his perspective on the bill.    

The committee is continuing to hear views from a variety of people. Once this is finished, members of the committee will then vote on proposals for change (known as 'amendments') put forward by MPs. Every clause in the bill will either be agreed to, changed or removed.

When the committee has confirmed the exact wording of the bill, MPs will debate it again in the House of Commons. More changes can be made at this stage. The bill will then be considered in the House of Lords. Both the House of Commons and the House of Lords will need to agree on the exact wording of the bill for it to become law.

What you need to know about the assisted dying legislation in Scotland

Assisted dying legislation is also progressing in the Scottish Parliament. The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill is separate from the legislation moving through Westminster and there are important differences between them. What happens to a bill in one parliament has no direct influence on what happens to the other.

The Scottish Parliament hasn't decided whether the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill should become law. A committee of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) is scrutinising the Bill. After the committee issues its report, there will be a debate and all MSPs will vote. The bill will only become law if a majority of MSPs support it in this debate. 

If that happens, the bill will return to the committee to examine all its provisions in detail and agree amendments. Then there will be a final line-by-line vote by all MSPs, which can also consider amendments.

We will continue to monitor and keep our community informed about the progress of the bills in Westminster and the Scottish Parliament.