Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – Latest Update

On Friday 13th June 2025, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returned House of Commons for MPs to consider further amendments to the Bill.

There was a detailed debate with MPs from across the UK, and different perspectives on the issue of voluntary assisted dying, speaking to a range of amendments that have been tabled the Bill. At the end of the debate there were three votes on clauses which the Speaker of the House of Commons had selected for separate vote.

The votes are detailed below with an indication of their purpose and the outcome of the vote.

1. New Clause 1
   This clause would have prevented healthcare professionals from raising voluntary assisted dying with a patient unless they ask about it. I considered this amendment before the vote, in particular a briefing from the British Medical Association which outlined that they considered that this any amendment that “limits or hinders open discussion about any aspect of death and dying is likely to be detrimental to patient care.” With this in mind, I voted against the amendment. A majority of MPs voted against the amendment and therefore it did not pass and was not added to the Bill.

    

2. New Clause 2
   This clause prevents healthcare professionals from raising voluntary assisted dying with patients under 18. I supported the tabling of this amendment and voted in favour of it. A majority of MPs supported this clause, and it has now been added to the Bill, helping to strengthen safeguards already in the Bill.

    

3. New Clause 14 (NC14) amendment b
   Clause 14 prohibits adverts promoting services related to voluntary assisted dying but allows minister to make exemptions, such as providing information to users of particular services. The amendment called for this power for ministers to make exemptions to be removed. On consideration I felt that this was unnecessary and unhelpful in the context of the Bill and therefore vote against amendment b in support of New Clause 14. A majority of MPs agreed (voting against the amendment b and for NC14 as tabled) which meant that NC14 was added to the Bill.

What’s Next

The next time the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will be debated by MPs is on Friday 20^th July. At present it is likely that there will be votes on New Clause 16 after which MPs may move on to a Third Reading debate. We will not know the schedule for the day until the afternoon of Thursday 19^th.

Depending on the length of the debate there may be Third Reading votes or debate and votes may be extended to Friday 4^th July.

If the bill passes at Third Reading (whenever this takes place), it will progress through Parliament to the House of Lords.

I continue to be clear that this is a complex and important piece of legislation and take my role in the process of moving it through Parliament very seriously. Equally I understand that there are a wide range of views held by people across Guildford constituency and the country. I consider each amendment that is voted on individually and will do the same for my decision when it comes to a Third Reading vote. 

You can find out more information on the process of how this bill (and others) progress through the two Houses within Parliament here.