James Evans MS co-sponsored the Labour Member Julie Morgan MS who brought a debate on Assisted Dying to the Senedd yesterday (23/10).
Whilst the responsibility for legislating on allowing assisted dying is not devolved to Wales, the purpose of bringing this debate was to call on the Welsh Government to support the principle of assisted dying and to work closely with the UK Parliament to introduce a compassionate assisted dying law that covers both England and Wales.
Alongside this, the UK Parliament is seeing a Private Members Bill progressing on this very issue.
James Evans MS said:
“I am supporting a move to change legislation to allow for assisted dying. I appreciate this is a highly emotive issue with differing views. This is a vote of conscience, and I am pleased that politicians here in Wales and in the UK Parliaments were given a free vote on this matter.
“It was very emotional for me speaking about watching my grandparent suffer. I strongly believe there should be a change in the law to allow those who wish to do so, the choice over their end. There must be stringent safeguards in place to protect the vulnerable, with strict criteria and checks, but I feel there must be the option of choice. As one MND sufferer said, ‘Live in my body for just one hour and you will see that assisted dying is the most merciful of outcomes for me’.
“But alongside this, I am also calling for there to be a great investment and recognition of palliative care services. For far too long our hospices, our organisations like Marie Curie and Macmillan have been underfunded when they are carrying out vital health care services. For far too many, end-of-life support is not there, too many continue to die in uncontrolled pain, and it is very much a postcode lottery as to what provision can be offered.”
