A Select Committee of the Lords was set up to take evidence on the Assisted Dying Bill, and over the last three weeks, it has been listening to expert witnesses and examining many aspects of the Bill, including its’ safeguards, funding, and the health and justice system impact. They have also questioned the impact that the Bill could have on people with disabilities, particularly intellectual disabilities including those who Down syndrome.
Today, this Committee will report to the House of Lords. Following the report, the Bill will be scrutinised by Peers, who will decide on amendments to be made, and also deliberate on whether the Bill should move forward.
As the Bill moves to the next stage, Dr Liz Corcoran, Chair of the Downs Syndrome Research Foundation UK, has issued this statement to the House of Lords.
“I am deeply worried about what the Assisted Dying Bill could mean for my brother who has Down syndrome. If the Bill keeps passing through the Houses of Parliament, he may end up with the right to die as he chooses, but without an equally protected right to live and thrive as he wants. I am very concerned that all amendments to the Bill which would have specifically safeguarded people with learning disabilities have been rejected in the House of Parliament.
As a doctor who relies on scientific methods for evidence-based treatments, I would urge the House of Lords to insist on robust data for proof of the claims that are being made in favour of changing the law so fundamentally and radically. I would also urge that the Lords challenge the Bill’s lack of adequate reporting mechanisms, following an assisted death. An accurate assessment of protection of human rights will necessitate gathering reliable data at all stages. As Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson says, “If there is nothing to fear from this Bill, there is nothing to fear from accurate reporting.”
As the Select Committee reports to the House of Lords on Friday 7th November 2025, I also urge Peers to take seriously all the professional concerns and issues that have been expressed at the Committee stage: from representatives of psychiatrists, social workers, physicians, general practitioners, pathologists, coroners, hospices, and disability advocates. The signs indicate that introducing Assisted Dying is likely to create more problems than it solves. We believe this to be the case for the Down syndrome community and for many other groups. If the Bill becomes law, we believe it’s likely to set in motion profound changes that we can’t undo, either for the individual, or for the common good in the UK.”
We urge you to continue to write to Peers in the House of Lords and ask them to stand against the Assisted Dying Bill. The status of the Bill is still uncertain, and your voice can make a difference.
You can find contact details for Peers in the House of Lords here:
http://members.parliament.uk/members/lords