The Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK recently sought the opinion of people in Scotland about the currently debated McArthur Bill on Assisted Dying, regarding issues with consent and coercion in relation to people with Down syndrome. The McArthur Bill in Scotland would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults over the age of 16 who meet the required criteria. The legislation is in the final stage of the Scottish Parliamentary process, and MSPs are currently debating amendments to the Bill. The final vote by MSPs is scheduled for Tuesday 16th March 2026.
Polling was carried out by independent body Whitestone Insight. The majority of people who participated in the polling expressed concerns. Some highlights of the polling include:
Three-quarters (75%) of Scots said they were concerned that it would be difficult to establish whether a person with a learning disability, such as Down’s Syndrome, would be expressing voluntary informed consent if they applied for assisted suicide. Only 14% reported being unconcerned.
Two-thirds (67%) of Scots said that a person with a learning disability, such as Down’s Syndrome, might be particularly vulnerable to the risk of coercion or manipulation into an assisted suicide if it became legal. Only 20% disagreed.
Dr Elizabeth Corcoran from the Down’s Syndrome Research Foundation UK says:
“This polling shows Scots are deeply concerned about the negative impact that legalising assisted suicide will have on people with intellectual disabilities, such as Down’s syndrome.
We are deeply concerned about the risks of coercion and undue influence in relation to the proposed change to the law. In particular, people with Down’s syndrome and people with intellectual disabilities in general are at significant risk of coercion and undue influence, in part due to their need to trust and build understanding for their needs with caregivers and medical professionals.
There is a very real risk that, if passed, this legislation could be applied far beyond its original intention. It may be stretched to include people who are not at the end of life, but who are instead viewed as having lives that are devalued through discriminatory attitudes and narratives. For our community, that possibility is terrifying.
This concern is not hypothetical. The committee examining the proposed legislation has recognised that the bill may be challenged under the European Convention on Human Rights, resulting in eligibility being widened. Should that occur, there is every chance that eligibility could be widened. No one, not this Parliament, nor any future one, can guarantee how such laws will be interpreted or expanded over time.
Disabled people in Scotland already struggle to access the care and support they need, with nearly three-quarters of respondents to a recent Inclusion Scotland survey stating they had “problems accessing services from their local council”. Rather than legalising assisted suicide, a more appropriate use of scant public resources would be to redouble efforts in Scotland to remove barriers to care.
We are calling on MSPs to ensure our community is protected and vote against the McArthur Bill at Stage 3.”
DSRF UK is concerned that, as with Kim Leadbeater’s Assisted Dying Bill, the human rights and needs of people with Down syndrome have not been fully considered, and the risks that the Down syndrome community faces in relation to assisted dying legislation is not widely understood.
We urge you to contact your MSPs in this crucial moment as they consider their vote.