My Lords, I only want to challenge the point that was made that the Bill suggests that six months is inevitable. It does not do that at all. In fact, all Clause 7 says is that if you go to the doctor, there will be a record of a preliminary discussion. It does not say anything else. Clause 8 refers …
My Lords, I too would like to pay tribute to the wonderful maiden speeches from the women today. I have had the privilege of working with all of them—in the case of my noble friend Lady Linforth, for too many years to mention. I feel somehow that a new APPG is being formed on the transition from bac…
My Lords, I have not spoken in this debate before, but the contribution of the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, last week made me want to do so. He reminded us that:
“Nobody could say that a doctor can tell you that you will die within six months. But the Bill does not so provide. Its conditions require o…
My name was on the list. I checked last week and my name was on there.
My Lords, the noble Lord’s name is not on the list to speak, but if he would like to keep his remarks short, that would be okay.
My Lords, it is a pleasure to follow the noble Lord. I wish to welcome the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Coventry. I did take the opportunity to visit Coventry cathedral—both the old, original one and the new one—and I believe she will make a fantastic contribution to your Lordships’ House. A…
I thank my noble friend for that question; it is very good of him. As I said, we will look into how we ensure that public/private partnerships work in the future for the benefit not just of customers but of the Government and the taxpayer. We need to ensure that we move forward on this so that every…
My Lords, the powerful speeches in this debate have shown compassion and seriousness and reflect the depth of feeling on all sides. It is a privilege to take part. Like other noble Lords, I thank all who have written to me on the subject.
Let me begin with the law as it stands. The Suicide Act 1961…
I think my noble friend is referring to the layers of bureaucracy that make up NHS England. Anyone trying to find a way through that bureaucracy struggles to have direct lines of accountability, for example. He is absolutely right: reform is essential. This Government have grasped the nettle and are…
I am sorry, but speakers in the gap have four minutes. Can the noble Lord please wind up? Thank you.
My Lords, I rise to welcome the SDR. Like the vast majority of speakers, we on these Benches feel that the work of the noble Lord, Lord Robertson, and his team, particularly Fiona Hill and Richard Barrons, has been remarkable; it really does give us an integrated defence review, whereas recent itera…
I would be straying somewhat beyond my remit to talk about vaccine hesitancy in the UK, but I point out that pathogens do not respect barriers. It is in the interests of health security in this country to make sure that having children vaccinated becomes the norm, wherever those children are growing…
My Lords, I do not doubt that those people are acting in good faith; they just happen to be wrong. I can give noble Lords an assurance that my noble friend will not go home to a divorce tonight if this amendment is not agreed. I respect that he has been a Minister in more senior positions than I can…
My Lords, I wish to speak to this amendment and I have not spoken in this debate yet.
Here are a few facts about myself. I am a secular Jew. One of my cousins was lucky to survive the Second World War in Rotterdam. I have experienced a great deal of antisemitism in my time, some of it through ignor…
My Lords, I perhaps take a slightly different view on this. Of course, I welcome people being able to get their winter fuel payments. We are still applying the pension credit, which is absolutely right. I do not know what everybody else in this House who got winter fuel payments did with them, but I…
My Lords, this statutory instrument enacts policy from the ground-breaking Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, brought in by the previous Conservative Government in 2023. It is a fantastic innovation, which we should welcome. This legislation permits us to use safe science to speed up what …