Jersey to make final decision on assisted dying law in December
Jersey will decide whether to officially legalise assisted dying later this year.
The draft law will be published in early September before going through 14 weeks of political scrutiny, with a final debate and vote on Tuesday 9 December.
If it passes, the legislation is expected to come into force in 2027.
Health Minister, Deputy Tom Binet, says: "I think we're probably running a bit ahead of the game and I've been very impressed throughout with the people that have been doing this.
"This could serve as a template for other places, it's that good."
Politicians in Westminster recently passed the next stage of their assisted dying bill covering England and Wales.
British MP Sarah Champion has been in Jersey to meet States Members and see how they can support one another.
She explains: "It's looking to see where our systems are similar, where we can learn from each other and share experiences, good and bad, so we don't make the same mistakes."
Jersey politicians backed the law change to allow assisted dying in principle by 32 votes to 14 in May 2024.
It would see those aged 18 or over and living on the island for at least a year given the choice to end their life with the help of medical professionals if they have a terminal illness and less than six months to live, or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative condition.
Fran Hall from the campaign group Dignity in Dying says: "Momentum for change across the British Isles and beyond is unstoppable and we're really grateful that Jersey is leading this."
Safeguards have been a key part of discussions about assisted dying legislation across the British Isles, due to concerns that vulnerable people could be coerced to end their lives.
To combat this, the UK and the Isle of Man will bring in a specific 'coercion' offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Jersey has not yet defined this but ITV News understands coercion would likely fall under the island's existing homicide law, rather than being dealt with separately.
This is an incredibly complicated issue and Jersey's Health Minister wants the States to have no excuse to say no when the assisted dying draft law is debated in December.
The difference between Jersey and the UK is that in Westminster, their law is being proposed by a single MP, Kim Leadbeater, through a Private Members' Bill.
Whereas, Jersey's legislation is being put forward by the island's government, making it more likely to be approved as they have a majority in the States Assembly.
However, this is still an incredibly divisive topic and that is why Jersey politicians are so keen to talk about safeguarding with other jurisdictions.
For example, compared to the Isle of Man, Jersey has different residency requirements, meaning someone could live in Jersey for a shorter amount of time before being eligible for an assisted death.
What will be interesting is how Guernsey reacts with a new set of politicians - could they soon be the next place in the British Isles to propose assisted dying legislation?
Some, like Gavin St Pier, believe it is time for the States to reconsider their position and follow Jersey's model.
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ITV News
7 hours ago
- ITV News
Jersey to make final decision on assisted dying law in December
Jersey will decide whether to officially legalise assisted dying later this year. The draft law will be published in early September before going through 14 weeks of political scrutiny, with a final debate and vote on Tuesday 9 December. If it passes, the legislation is expected to come into force in 2027. Health Minister, Deputy Tom Binet, says: "I think we're probably running a bit ahead of the game and I've been very impressed throughout with the people that have been doing this. "This could serve as a template for other places, it's that good." Politicians in Westminster recently passed the next stage of their assisted dying bill covering England and Wales. British MP Sarah Champion has been in Jersey to meet States Members and see how they can support one another. She explains: "It's looking to see where our systems are similar, where we can learn from each other and share experiences, good and bad, so we don't make the same mistakes." Jersey politicians backed the law change to allow assisted dying in principle by 32 votes to 14 in May 2024. It would see those aged 18 or over and living on the island for at least a year given the choice to end their life with the help of medical professionals if they have a terminal illness and less than six months to live, or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative condition. Fran Hall from the campaign group Dignity in Dying says: "Momentum for change across the British Isles and beyond is unstoppable and we're really grateful that Jersey is leading this." Safeguards have been a key part of discussions about assisted dying legislation across the British Isles, due to concerns that vulnerable people could be coerced to end their lives. To combat this, the UK and the Isle of Man will bring in a specific 'coercion' offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison. Jersey has not yet defined this but ITV News understands coercion would likely fall under the island's existing homicide law, rather than being dealt with separately. This is an incredibly complicated issue and Jersey's Health Minister wants the States to have no excuse to say no when the assisted dying draft law is debated in December. The difference between Jersey and the UK is that in Westminster, their law is being proposed by a single MP, Kim Leadbeater, through a Private Members' Bill. Whereas, Jersey's legislation is being put forward by the island's government, making it more likely to be approved as they have a majority in the States Assembly. However, this is still an incredibly divisive topic and that is why Jersey politicians are so keen to talk about safeguarding with other jurisdictions. For example, compared to the Isle of Man, Jersey has different residency requirements, meaning someone could live in Jersey for a shorter amount of time before being eligible for an assisted death. What will be interesting is how Guernsey reacts with a new set of politicians - could they soon be the next place in the British Isles to propose assisted dying legislation? Some, like Gavin St Pier, believe it is time for the States to reconsider their position and follow Jersey's model.
South Wales Guardian
12 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Hope for Britain's ash trees as study finds resistance evolving to killer fungus
Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London say they have discovered a new generation of young ash trees in the wild which are showing greater resistance to the fungus compared to older trees. The findings from the study focused on Marden Park wood in Surrey, a semi-natural ancient woodland dominated by ash, which is a species that produces a large number of seedlings from each adult. It could mean ash does not go the same way as elms, which have been largely lost from the British landscape as a result of Dutch elm disease, the scientists said – although breeding programmes may be needed to bolster the fightback. Ash dieback, which was first seen in the UK in 2012, causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, with fears it could wipe out up to 85% of Britain's native ash trees, as they have not evolved natural defences against the fungus originally from Asia. But now researchers suggest that natural selection in the wild is taking place on thousands of locations within ash tree DNA, driving increased resistance to the disease. The study compared the DNA of ash trees established before and after the fungus arrived in Britain, and found shifts in variants associated with tree health in thousands of places across the overall genome of the trees. This indicates the younger generation of trees has greater resistance to the fungus – as well as showing natural selection for a trait being influenced by multiple genes, which the researchers said was a phenomenon that was widely assumed but difficult to prove. Their study in the journal Science said natural selection could be occurring partly due to reduced seed or pollen production by adult trees damaged by ash dieback, and partly through the rapid death of young trees infected by the fungus and so are not present in the wood. But they cautioned that it was not yet known whether the rate of change would be enough to rescue the plants naturally, or whether there was enough genetic variation in ash trees to lead to a fully resistant tree. The findings could be used to support breeding programmes that aim to make European ash trees resilient to the disease, they added. Study author Dr Carey Metheringham, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection. 'However, natural selection alone may not be enough to produce fully resistant trees. 'The existing genetic variation in the ash population may be too low, and as the trees become scarcer, the rate of selection could slow. 'Human intervention, such as selective breeding and the protection of young trees from deer grazing, may be required to accelerate evolutionary change.' Another of the study's authors, Professor Richard Buggs, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'We are so glad that these findings suggest that ash will not go the way of the elm in Britain. 'Elm trees have struggled to evolve to Dutch elm disease, but ash are showing a very different dynamic because they produce an abundance of seedlings upon which natural selection can act when they are still young. 'Through the death of millions of ash trees, a more resistant population of ash is appearing.' Rebecca Gosling, from the Woodland Trust which owns and manages Marden Park wood, said: 'Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them. 'This important research gives us hope for the future of our ash populations.' She added: 'The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands.' The study was mainly funded by the Environment Department (Defra) whose chief plant health officer Professor Nicola Spence said it demonstrated that tolerance to ash dieback can be inherited, and breeding programmes and natural regeneration together could secure the future of native ash.
Leader Live
16 hours ago
- Leader Live
Hope for Britain's ash trees as study finds resistance evolving to killer fungus
Researchers from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Queen Mary University of London say they have discovered a new generation of young ash trees in the wild which are showing greater resistance to the fungus compared to older trees. The findings from the study focused on Marden Park wood in Surrey, a semi-natural ancient woodland dominated by ash, which is a species that produces a large number of seedlings from each adult. It could mean ash does not go the same way as elms, which have been largely lost from the British landscape as a result of Dutch elm disease, the scientists said – although breeding programmes may be needed to bolster the fightback. Ash dieback, which was first seen in the UK in 2012, causes leaf loss and crown dieback and can lead to tree death, with fears it could wipe out up to 85% of Britain's native ash trees, as they have not evolved natural defences against the fungus originally from Asia. But now researchers suggest that natural selection in the wild is taking place on thousands of locations within ash tree DNA, driving increased resistance to the disease. The study compared the DNA of ash trees established before and after the fungus arrived in Britain, and found shifts in variants associated with tree health in thousands of places across the overall genome of the trees. This indicates the younger generation of trees has greater resistance to the fungus – as well as showing natural selection for a trait being influenced by multiple genes, which the researchers said was a phenomenon that was widely assumed but difficult to prove. Their study in the journal Science said natural selection could be occurring partly due to reduced seed or pollen production by adult trees damaged by ash dieback, and partly through the rapid death of young trees infected by the fungus and so are not present in the wood. But they cautioned that it was not yet known whether the rate of change would be enough to rescue the plants naturally, or whether there was enough genetic variation in ash trees to lead to a fully resistant tree. The findings could be used to support breeding programmes that aim to make European ash trees resilient to the disease, they added. Study author Dr Carey Metheringham, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'Thanks to natural selection, future generations of ash should have a better chance of withstanding infection. 'However, natural selection alone may not be enough to produce fully resistant trees. 'The existing genetic variation in the ash population may be too low, and as the trees become scarcer, the rate of selection could slow. 'Human intervention, such as selective breeding and the protection of young trees from deer grazing, may be required to accelerate evolutionary change.' Another of the study's authors, Professor Richard Buggs, from Kew and Queen Mary, said: 'We are so glad that these findings suggest that ash will not go the way of the elm in Britain. 'Elm trees have struggled to evolve to Dutch elm disease, but ash are showing a very different dynamic because they produce an abundance of seedlings upon which natural selection can act when they are still young. 'Through the death of millions of ash trees, a more resistant population of ash is appearing.' Rebecca Gosling, from the Woodland Trust which owns and manages Marden Park wood, said: 'Ash dieback demonstrates how devastating introduced pathogens can be for our trees and the species which rely upon them. 'This important research gives us hope for the future of our ash populations.' She added: 'The findings highlight how vital it is to support natural regeneration in woodlands, furthering our understanding of how to best manage our ash woodlands.' The study was mainly funded by the Environment Department (Defra) whose chief plant health officer Professor Nicola Spence said it demonstrated that tolerance to ash dieback can be inherited, and breeding programmes and natural regeneration together could secure the future of native ash.
