Britons Travelling Overseas For Assisted Suicides (No. 2)

EDM number 2866 in 2005-06, proposed by David Taylor on 26/10/2006.

That this House notes the contents of EDM 2749; expresses its condolences to the family of motor neurone disease sufferer, Paul Bennett; regrets the manner in which his assisted suicide in Switzerland was politicised and publicised by the euthanasia lobby; further regrets the exploitation of Mr Bennett's family who were led to believe they could face 14 years imprisonment for travelling with him to Switzerland; further notes that of 54 Britons travelling to Switzerland for assisted suicide, in not one case any action has been taken against those accompanying them; further notes that such cases are legally very complex since it is difficult to say to what extent it would breach the law to act as travelling companions in such circumstances or what public benefit it would serve for the Director of Public Prosecutions to take action; recalls that the legislation of assisted suicide is opposed by national bodies representing the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu communities as well as atheists and Christians; further notes that the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of General Practitioners, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland and the Royal College of Nursing all maintain policies opposing euthanasia; calls on the Home Office to inform Parliament how the police learned of the action of Mr Bennett and his family and on what grounds they were investigated; and calls on the Government to maintain the law opposing euthanasia and assisted suicide.

This motion has been signed by a total of 19 MPs.