“Significant flaws” in assisted suicide bill, say MSPs

Proposals to allow terminally ill patients to seek help to die are flawed and require greater scrutiny, Holyrood’s health committee has warned.

In their report on Stage 1 of the Assisted Suicide Bill, the Health and Sport Committee said the majority of its members opposed the concept but the whole parliament should be given the opportunity to decide on the bill’s future.

MSPs said it would need "significant amendment should it progress through the parliamentary scrutiny process" due to an "unacceptable" lack of clarity in some of the language used in the bill.

Deputy convener Bob Doris said the committee had heard passionate voices on both sides of the debate.

"The committee's intention was to inform the debate and not influence the outcome as that is a matter of conscience for the parliament when they vote later this month," he said.

Christian charity CARE for Scotland, who have campaigned against the bill, welcomed the report. National director Stuart Weir said it represented “a real blow” to those proposing the idea.

“Scotland has a proud heritage of caring for life and it would be tragic if that heritage were eroded by introducing such damaging and unnecessary legislation,” he said.

However, Green MSP Patrick Harvie, who took forward the bill after the death of Margo MacDonald, said the recommendations should encourage MSPs to consider the need for further clarity rather than dismissing the proposed legislation.

Much criticism of the bill was “grounded in an ideological opposition to personal choice”, according to Harvie.

"I am hopeful that MSPs will listen to all sides when the Bill reaches the voting stage and that they will act to end the unnecessary suffering of those who are seeking help to take control at the end of their lives,” he added.