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Will the assisted dying Bill reach the statute book?

03 October 2025 / Michael Zander KC
Issue: 8133 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Human rights , Health
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In the second part in a series tracking the passage of the Bill, Michael Zander KC reports on the current uncertainty

In brief

  • The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is progressing through the Lords, with debate coming directly after two highly critical reports from House of Lords committees.
  • Baroness Berger’s amendment that a select committee be set up to hear evidence from professional bodies’ was accepted.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill began its progress through the House of Lords with two all-day debates (10am to 4pm) on 12 and 19 September. Because of the great number of peers who had indicated their wish to contribute (191), speeches were limited to four minutes.

There were many speeches in favour of the Bill, many speeches against the Bill, and many speeches in favour of the Bill in principle but not in its present form. How this will turn out, when it eventually comes to counting votes on amendments

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NEWS
Writing in NLJ this week, Kelvin Rutledge KC of Cornerstone Barristers and Genevieve Screeche-Powell of Field Court Chambers examine the Court of Appeal’s rejection of a discrimination challenge to Tower Hamlets’ housing database
Michael Zander KC, Emeritus Professor at LSE, tracks the turbulent passage of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill through the House of Lords in this week's issue of NLJ. Two marathon debates drew contributions from nearly 200 peers, split between support, opposition and conditional approval
Alistair Mills of Landmark Chambers reflects on the Human Rights Act 1998 a quarter-century after it came into force, in this week's issue of NLJ
In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ, Stephen Gold surveys a raft of procedural changes and quirky disputes shaping civil practice. His message is clear: civil practitioners must brace for continual tweaks, unexpected contentions and rising costs in everyday litigation
Barbara Mills KC, chair of the Bar 2025 and joint head of chambers at 4PB, sets out in this week's NLJ how the profession will respond to Baroness Harriet Harman KC’s review into bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct at the Bar
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