The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026-27 has its second reading on 11 September 2026. This Library briefing provides an overview of the bill and key areas of debate.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill 2026-27 has its second reading on 11 September 2026. This Library briefing provides an overview of the bill and key areas of debate.

Lords committee stage fourteenth day. Lords motion that the House do now resolve itself into Committee. Amendments to the motion debated and withdrawn. Original motion withdrawn.

Lords committee stage fourteenth day. Lords motion that the House do now resolve itself into Committee. Amendments to the motion debated and withdrawn. Original motion withdrawn.

Moved by

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Moved by

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Moved by

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

Moved by

Lord Falconer of Thoroton

My Lords, today is our final day scheduled for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. I am despondent that this Bill, so important to so many, has failed not on its merits but as a result of procedural wrangling. There is no prospect that the Bill can get...

My Lords, today is our final day scheduled for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. I am despondent that this Bill, so important to so many, has failed not on its merits but as a result of procedural wrangling. There is no prospect that the Bill can get...

Moved by

Baroness Coffey

Moved by

Baroness Coffey

My Lords, “The Lord moves in mysterious ways” is a well-known phrase. But today perhaps it is better to say, “The Lords move in mysterious ways”. I came back from the Council of Europe specifically to continue debate on the Bill, because I believe that scrutiny is necessary. I thought...

My Lords, “The Lord moves in mysterious ways” is a well-known phrase. But today perhaps it is better to say, “The Lords move in mysterious ways”. I came back from the Council of Europe specifically to continue debate on the Bill, because I believe that scrutiny is necessary. I thought...

The noble Baroness will be aware, and I am sure she will agree, that if the Bill comes back a second time to the Commons, it will come back here. The effect of the Parliament Act is not to stop further debate but simply to prevent the House blocking the...

The noble Baroness will be aware, and I am sure she will agree, that if the Bill comes back a second time to the Commons, it will come back here. The effect of the Parliament Act is not to stop further debate but simply to prevent the House blocking the...

Yes, I completely agree. That is why I say that I respect the right of MPs to decide to use the Parliament Act process. But I would rather that we did not have to go through all this again, having to change what has been a flawed Bill at this...

Yes, I completely agree. That is why I say that I respect the right of MPs to decide to use the Parliament Act process. But I would rather that we did not have to go through all this again, having to change what has been a flawed Bill at this...

My Lords, I begin on a personal note. As I have mentioned in previous debates, my mother was a Marie Curie nurse who supported terminally ill people through their final days. In 2007, she was diagnosed with late-stage womb cancer. When she was in pain at the end of her...

My Lords, I begin on a personal note. As I have mentioned in previous debates, my mother was a Marie Curie nurse who supported terminally ill people through their final days. In 2007, she was diagnosed with late-stage womb cancer. When she was in pain at the end of her...

My Lords, I speak as one of the Lords spiritual and as a member of the Select Committee that examined the Bill. I do so with a deep sense of responsibility for the integrity of our legislative process and for the dignity and protection of those whose lives may be...

My Lords, I speak as one of the Lords spiritual and as a member of the Select Committee that examined the Bill. I do so with a deep sense of responsibility for the integrity of our legislative process and for the dignity and protection of those whose lives may be...

My Lords, I express my agreement with the concern of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, that the Committee stage of the Bill should have been completed. I wanted to be part of a process that amended the Bill so that we could reach Report and have some meaningful...

My Lords, I express my agreement with the concern of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Falconer, that the Committee stage of the Bill should have been completed. I wanted to be part of a process that amended the Bill so that we could reach Report and have some meaningful...

My Lords, this House has debated assisted dying this century on nine occasions, first in 2003 and then in 2005. There are very few members in the House today who spoke in those debates, with the possible exception of the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay of Llandaff. She was a very...

My Lords, this House has debated assisted dying this century on nine occasions, first in 2003 and then in 2005. There are very few members in the House today who spoke in those debates, with the possible exception of the noble Baroness, Lady Finlay of Llandaff. She was a very...

My Lords, I hesitate to interrupt the noble Lord, Lord Baker, but I am sure he would want the House to be aware that the Attorney-General’s guidelines have assisted in enabling prosecutors to make decisions which would obviate the need for prosecution where there is no evidence that the person...

My Lords, I hesitate to interrupt the noble Lord, Lord Baker, but I am sure he would want the House to be aware that the Attorney-General’s guidelines have assisted in enabling prosecutors to make decisions which would obviate the need for prosecution where there is no evidence that the person...

I understand what the noble and learned Baroness is saying, but the police have decided very clearly what their position is. Between 2009 and 2025, 199 cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions by the police for assisted suicide. Of those 199 cases, 131 were not proceeded with...

I understand what the noble and learned Baroness is saying, but the police have decided very clearly what their position is. Between 2009 and 2025, 199 cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions by the police for assisted suicide. Of those 199 cases, 131 were not proceeded with...

I do not want to interrupt the noble Lord again, but I think it is right for him to know that this matter came before the Attorney-General, myself, to determine how we should address this problem. How could we make it better? How could we differentiate between those who should...

I do not want to interrupt the noble Lord again, but I think it is right for him to know that this matter came before the Attorney-General, myself, to determine how we should address this problem. How could we make it better? How could we differentiate between those who should...

I recognise that there is that power, but it is very rarely used. That is the point I have been making all the time. Juries will not convict.

This has happened before in our history. There was a time when the law decided that youngsters as young as 10 or 12...

I recognise that there is that power, but it is very rarely used. That is the point I have been making all the time. Juries will not convict.

This has happened before in our history. There was a time when the law decided that youngsters as young as 10 or 12...

My Lords, I have spoken only once previously in the many long hours of debate on the Bill. That was at Second Reading, when I told the story of Daniel, the much-loved son of my noble friend Lord Monks, who, in the absence of any form of assisted dying in...

My Lords, I have spoken only once previously in the many long hours of debate on the Bill. That was at Second Reading, when I told the story of Daniel, the much-loved son of my noble friend Lord Monks, who, in the absence of any form of assisted dying in...

My Lords—

My Lords—

With great respect, I would like to conclude my remarks.

There were many cases of honourable Members weighing their positions after close consultation with deeply interested constituents. Noble Lords may disagree with the Bill and oppose its objectives, but please do not claim that there is some grave technical deficiency in...

With great respect, I would like to conclude my remarks.

There were many cases of honourable Members weighing their positions after close consultation with deeply interested constituents. Noble Lords may disagree with the Bill and oppose its objectives, but please do not claim that there is some grave technical deficiency in...