Press Statement from Margo MacDonald MSP
Embargo : 06:00 Wednesday 19 September 2012
Margo MacDonald has today lodged her second proposal for a Bill on Assisted Suicide. Having collected the eighteen MSP signatures necessary to move forward to the preparation of a Bill, Ms MacDonald said;
Possibly due to the recent sad and shocking coverage of how Tony Nicklinson died, MSPs have a better awareness of the issue. I found more MSPs than last time considering giving support to my Bill.
Also, like last time a couple of the MSPs signed to take the Bill to Stage 1, not because they had already made up their minds on the issue, but because they judged that it should be debated given the level of public interest.
I believe the Bill will benefit from the developments in understanding Assisted Death, due in large part to legal challenges in England.
The Consultation process has been successful in providing even more information about the reality of the end of life experience for a small, but fairly steady number of people, many of whom, according to their loved ones would have chosen to end their lives, rather than allow nature to do so in what they considered to be an intolerable condition.
Note to editors
Any proposal for a Members Bill must secure support from 18 colleagues in order for it to progress further. The proposal lodged this morning has already secured this number and over the coming months Margo MacDonald will be working with the Non-Government Bill Unit (NGBU) to produce a Bill, the text of which should be available in early 2013.
Proposal
Proposal for a Bill to enable a competent adult with a terminal illness or condition to request assistance to end their own life, and to decriminalise certain actions taken by others to provide such assistance.
For further comment please contact: Margo MacDonald MSP on 07968 802852
