Welsh NHS will only help terminally ill end their life if Senedd agrees first
The Senedd will get a say in whether the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will include the Welsh NHS
Assisted dying bill protestors gather outside the House of Commons
(Image: Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror )
The Welsh NHS will only will assist terminally ill people to die if the Senedd agrees to it, the Welsh Parliament has been told. Last week MPs in the House of Commons agreed to legalise an assisted dying bill for terminally ill people in England and Wales.
However, the Welsh Parliament has been told today - Wednesday, June 25 - that Senedd members will have a vote on whether assisted dying services will be available in the public sector via the Welsh NHS.
As healthcare is devolved in Wales, questions have arisen as to how the new law will work here. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here
The Senedd will get a say on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in Wales
(Image: Senedd Cymru )
In October 2024, the Senedd voted against a law allowing assisted dying to be introduced in Wales.
But, last week, a suggestion of allowing the Senedd to have a veto over all the important parts of the law was taken out by MPs.
Article continues below
Today, Counsel General Julie James was asked by MS Tom Giffard whether the Senedd will have a say in the decision regarding the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
He asked: "Can you outline what discussions you have had with the UK Government to stand up for the voice of this Senedd, to ensure that we do have a say?
"And do you have an assurance from the UK Government that, if this LCM in this Senedd produces a different outcome to the vote in Parliament, our decision will be respected by the UK Government?"
Article continues below
Ms James, the Welsh Government's most senior legal adviser, confirmed: "Just to reassure the member, and, indeed, all Members of the Senedd, the Bill still contains the key provisions that mean that the NHS or any public body in Wales will not be able to provide voluntary assisted dying services until regulations have been laid by Ministers and there has been an affirmative vote in the Senedd to that effect."
A vote is expected to take place in the Senedd this autumn regarding the bill and whether it agrees to the legislation applying in areas controlled by the Senedd.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
New Zealand will spend $1.6B on military aircraft in a plan to double the defense budget
New Zealand 's government announced new military spending Thursday of 2.7 billion New Zealand dollars ($1.6 billion) to replace aging aircraft, with senior officials who unveiled the package citing rapidly growing global tensions and a deteriorating security environment. The purchase of military planes and helicopters was the first procurement announced in a government plan, disclosed April, to double defense spending from 1% to 2% of GDP in the next decade. New Zealand's military spending has trailed that of its larger partners in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing group of countries — which includes the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia — and the bolstered budget reflects a shift in how the remote island nation is responding to strategic competition between major powers in the Pacific Ocean. The procurement includes five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to replace the existing maritime fleet and two Airbus A321XLR aircraft, allowing the retirement of Boeing 757s that are more than 30 years old and were already secondhand when purchased. The helicopters accounted for more than NZ $2 billion of the spending, officials said. Defense Minister Judith Collins said her government would 'move at pace' to procure the helicopters directly through the United States' foreign military sales program instead of going to a wider tender. Cabinet ministers were expected to consider the final business case in 2026, she told reporters in Wellington on Thursday. It would take 'a few years' to acquire the helicopters, Collins added, because buying new meant New Zealand would need to 'wait in line.' She denied the choice to buy from the United States was an attempt to rectify the trade imbalance that has seen New Zealand goods targeted for an adjusted 15% levy when arriving in the U.S. under the Trump administration's global tariffs plan. The aging Boeing aircraft have frequently broken down while transporting New Zealand prime ministers abroad in recent years and now can only be flown short distances. The episodes are among an awkward string of incidents that have highlighted the rundown state of the country's military hardware and persistent difficulties in maintaining it due to recruitment shortfalls.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: The STAGGERING amount of money Aussie taxpayers will have to fork out to pay for the Brisbane Olympics
Many Aussie taxpayers can't wait for the Brisbane Olympics to begin in 2032 - but they won't be happy to hear they'll be forking out more than $7billion to host the Games. Under a deal struck with the Queensland government, the Commonwealth has agreed to contribute just under half the cost of building when it comes to Games venues and other infrastructure. The federal government will provide $3.43billion for 17 new and upgraded venues for the Games - with the whole bill forecast to cost $7.1billion. Given the long track history of Olympics being subject to huge cost overruns, the eventual total could be far in excess of that. A large proportion of federal government's contribution will be spent on the new 63,000-seat stadium at Victoria Park as well as a 25,000-seat National Aquatic Centre in Spring Hill. In total, 37 venues across 11 Queensland cities will be used to host the 28 Olympic and 22 Paralympic sports. But given some sports won't be determined until an International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting is staged next year, Games organisers will be forced to create a venue plan while not knowing what sports they are hosting. At the LA Olympics in 2028, there will be six additional sports: cricket, baseball, flag football, lacrosse, squash and softball. In March, Premier David Crisafulli apologised to Queenslanders for breaking a major election promise after announcing the construction of a new stadium as part of Brisbane's $7billion plan for the 2032 Olympics. Crisafulli repeatedly pledged not to build any new stadiums on the campaign trail in the lead-up to last year's state elections. 'It became a choice between the embarrassment of hosting the games at [the run-down Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre] or a new stadium at Victoria Park,' he said earlier this year. 'In the end, the choice was clear. The Games must be held at a new stadium at Victoria Park.' Crisafulli was asked how he planned to respond to claims he had back-flipped on his earlier promises. 'By being honest and copping that on the chin,' he conceded. 'I have to own that, and I will, and I am sorry. (But) it is my decision.' Following the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the new stadium will host home games for the Brisbane Lions and Cricket Australia matches. Brisbane won the rights to host the 2032 Games four years ago when the International Olympic Committee stated the city was its 'preferred candidate' based on its previous successes in hosting international sporting events.
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Ex-council deputy leader to stand for Welsh Lib Dems
Mike Hamilton has been selected as the party's lead candidate for the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency, which will be contested for the first time in the 2026 Welsh Parliament election. The seat covers the Westminster constituencies of Newport East, Newport West, and Islwyn. Dr Hamilton said: "Wales needs change after 26 years of mismanagement. "We need proper strategic management of the Welsh economy, not endless money wasting on vanity projects. "We need to fix the fundamental problems with the Welsh NHS, where Welsh patients wait much longer than English patients for key operations, despite equivalent per-patient spending. "And we need to ensure that Wales shows moral leadership on Gaza, where war crimes and human rights abuses have been met with a supine response by the UK Labour Government." A former Merchant Navy engineer and archaeologist, Dr Hamilton is well known in Newport for his community work. He previously served as deputy leader of Newport Council. The 2026 election will use a new proportional representation system, electing six members of the Senedd per constituency. This will increase the likelihood of smaller parties gaining seats in the Senedd. The Welsh Liberal Democrats are focusing their campaign on childcare, support for businesses, and investment in social care as part of their vision for improving the Welsh NHS. Nationally, the party secured more than 3.5 million votes at last year's general election, becoming the largest third party in the UK since 1923 with 72 MPs. The party has prioritised tackling sewage pollution, promoting social care reform, and supporting small and medium-sized businesses. It has also criticised the Labour government's handling of NHS waiting lists, opposed rises in national insurance, and called for the reversal of tax breaks for large banks.
