Any change in the assisted dying law in England and Wales will not become operational until the autumn of 2029. That is the latest news to come from the Committee Stage of Kim Leadbeater’s Bill.
The good news (in fact, the only good news) is that the Bill itself is now emerging from its Committee Stage with its basic proposals intact. However, there has been a further delay in its implementation. As drafted, the Bill would have allowed a two-year period for the necessary Voluntary Assisted Dying facilities to be provided. Other countries have found this to be a sensible period and it seemed generally agreed. Under insistence from the Treasury, the National Health Service and Labour’s Parliamentary Whips, however, Kim has agreed to a four-year period instead – ostensibly to give the organisations involved enough time to prepare.
Together with all the “safeguards” already in the Bill, this new change will render any new legislation to be of very little use to sufferers who really want control over the end of their lives – now.
It also means that the commencement date will now be after the next election, thus giving any new Parliament the ability to reverse the change if they so wish.
