Scottish version of suicide bill voting soon

[genandtonic]

apologies if this appears elsewhere on Scotsnet.

I got sent this from the righttolife oraganisation whether or not you agree with all of their views ( I don’t) I am glad they, and other groups are concerned about this.

given that the Scottish government don’t seem the most inspiring I’m a little concerned. They appear to be taking the English view and making it more extreme? I haven’t read it in depth so would appreciate anyone who knows more about these things adding to the thread.
It seems to have been debated 10 years ago and was voted out at that time.
now it is being proposed by …’MSP Liam McArthur (Scottish Liberal Democrat, Orkney) has lodged proposals for an Assisted Dying Scotland Members Bill. The Stage One debate and vote will take place on 13th May’

heres a link to the main article from right to life
https://righttolife.org.uk/news/scottish-health-committee-raises-over-30-concerns-with-proposed-assisted-suicide-law

and one from the bbc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98gzyr678eo

It seems there are many additions to the bill here in Scotland that aren’t in England and wakes. It would be very useful, I suspect, to write to your MP . There is a template at the end of the right to life link.

Dear genandtonic,
We are now just 6 days away from the Stage One vote on the Scottish McArthur assisted suicide Bill – it’s happening this coming Tuesday, 13 May.
Between now and then, I’ll be in touch a little more often regarding the Scottish Bill. Please do keep opening my emails and, most importantly, take the actions I highlight (usually at the end of each message). Every single one makes a difference.
U-TURN
You might have seen that Liam McArthur has just made a last-minute change to his Bill, raising the eligibility age from 16 to 18. It’s likely he did this because he knows support for the Bill is on a knife-edge.
While this truly disturbing aspect of the proposed law has been changed, despite this U-turn, this still remains a dangerous Bill. If passed, it would put thousands of vulnerable people at risk.
TAKE THIS NEW 30-SECOND ACTION TODAY
The disability rights group, Not Dead Yet UK, is asking people to contact their MSPs using a new tool on their website. It explains exactly why this Bill would be a disaster for people with disabilities.
Even if you have contacted your MSPs already, it’s really important to contact your MSPs again using this new tool – so your MSPs hear specifically about the serious risks this Bill poses to people with disabilities.
Please take action now and click the button below to use their tool to contact your MSPs. It only takes 30 seconds.

Act now - Click here to contact your MSPs
Thank you so much for all your help on this.

I’ll be in touch again soon.

With best wishes,

Catherine Robinson
Right To Life UK

The Scottish bill was published last Easter - months before the Westminster bill.

If you don't support it then fair enough but the Scottish process has been much better than the Westminster one - there was a consultation before the bill was published, the health committee did a consultation after it was published and then they took evidence from lots of people/organisations. So when MSPs vote on Tuesday they've had plenty of time to consider the issues, in a way that MPs at Westminster didn't.

OP: do you think they can't put in enough safeguards for the vulnerable to allow it to pass for those like me who are very much in favour? What would you propose?

I am also very much in favour of this bill, it needs to be progressed. It has been too long with too many people with no choice but to endure long painful deaths, or lives, waiting for this.

also, while the Bill was published last year Liam McArthur has been working on the issue since 2021
the public consultation, held before the Bill was formally lodged, received the most responses of any Holyrood consultation.
so this vote has been on the cards for a long time OP
for what it’s worth people who know about these things seem to think this bill has been much better drafted than either of the previous bills, from Margo MacDonald and Patrick Harvie respectively.
I also hope it passes. To me assisted dying is a bit like abortion - you might not agree with it, but does that give you the right to take that option away from those who could really benefit

Pleased to see this stage of the bill was passed today. A step in the right direction. ❤️

I'm also pleased it's passed.

As an aside it annoys me that it's always portrayed that disabled people are against assisted dying - disabled people are a diverse group (disabilities, experiences, personalities etc) and will have varying opinions.