Monday 6 December 2010

Scottish euthanasia bill is defeated

2010 began with Margo MacDonald (pictured), a member of the Scottish parliament (MSP), launching a bill which would allow euthanasia.

The End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill attacked the first human right - the right to life - and was a threat to all people with illness or disability.

Praise God that the year is ending with the demise of that bill. The death of the bill was announced by the End of Life (Scotland) Bill parliamentary committee as follows:
Disbanding of the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill Committee - Wednesday 1 December 2010

This is to inform you that, following the Stage 1 debate on the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday 1 December 2010, the Scottish Parliament did not agree to the general principles of the Bill. The result of the vote on the motion to agree the Bill was, For: 16, Against: 85, Abstentions: 2. As a result of this decision, the Bill falls.

The motion which established the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill on 10 February 2010 set the duration of the Committee as being "until the Bill has received Royal Assent, falls or is withdrawn".

As a result of this decision, the Committee has now completed its work and is disbanded.

The transcript of the Stage 1 debate on the Bill is available on the Parliament website at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor1201-02.htm#Col31042

Thank you for your interest in the work of the Committee.

End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill Committee

2 December 2010
SPUC Scotland, SPUC (UK), Care Not Killing (Scotland), the Catholic Church in Scotland, and others worked hard to defeat the bill. Congratulations to all.

Comments on this blog? Email them to johnsmeaton@spuc.org.uk
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