This week, MPs debated the costs involved with Kim Leadbeater MP’s bill to legalise assisted suicide. Christian Concern’s public policy team covers some of the highlights and lowlights of the debate
To further the assisted suicide bill, MPs must first approve its financing through what is called the ‘money resolutions’ stage.
This week, Kim Leadbeater, the bill’s architect, put forward a money resolution which states that for “any expenditure incurred… money is so provided,” which puts no cap or budget on the amount of spending the bill would require.
MPs approved the resolution due to democratic conventions but the move was not without its critics.
Sir John Hayes remarked, “The hon. Lady says that this is not a blank cheque, but it cannot get much more blank than that.”
Open-ended budget contradicts Labour’s promise
The lack of scrutiny, and apparent lack of knowledge of how assisted suicide will be financed, greatly worried many MPs. Labour MP Antonia Bance commented that this was out of line with Labour’s promise to be “fully costed, fully funded”, but that more importantly, there were still so many questions we do not know the answers to.
Will assisted suicide happen in hospitals, in hospices, or new, purpose-built facilities? How many facilities will there be? Will this be an NHS service, or delivered by private providers? Who will have to wait longer for an operation or GP appointment because this Parliament will authorise massive, unspecified spending in our cash-strapped NHS?
A less costly way out
One supporter of the Bill, Conservative MP Kit Malthouse, claimed that this lack of financial cap is not uncommon in money resolution. He claimed, “the rest of the NHS is already a blank cheque”. David Smith, in response, argued that the NHS is not a blank cheque, “but has a clearly defined budget.”
Malthouse continued,
“…the dying individuals who may want to make this choice at the end of their life—are already receiving treatment in the national health service. They are already reliant on expensive care services, drugs and so on… the status quo is costly in monetary terms.”
As one sketch writer noted, “If you heard this in an episode of Black Mirror you might think it far-fetched.”
The final question regarded the lack of Impact Assessment from the Government, which would estimate the financial cost and impact of introducing assisted suicide. As the Shadow Justice Minister questioned, how many people are going to be seeking it out? If it is as many as 17,000 annually, as Leadbeater’s own statistics suggest, this will be a very difficult to adequately resource.
Lack of impact assessment
Worse, as Sir John Hayes argued, shouldn’t the impact assessment have already been created? If supporters of the bill are serious about the scrutiny of assisted suicide legislation, why does the committee not see the negative impact during their line-by-line analysis?
This smacks once again of the lack of due diligence by assisted suicide supporters. There has been no impact assessment, or explanation of the financial blank cheque. The most important part of the first committee meeting was held in secret after a last minute Leadbeater motion was passed, and the suggested witnesses to the committee are hugely in favour of the bill.
By running away from proper scrutiny, Leadbeater only undermines the case for assisted suicide.
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