Assisted dying residency length change rejected

The changes will go back to Legislative Council for consideration

A move to reduce the residency criteria under proposed laws that would give terminally ill adults the right to end their own life on the Isle of Man has been rejected.

The proposed change from from five years to one year in the Assisted Dying Bill 2023 had been backed by Legislative Council in December last year.

But the bill's mover Alex Allinson MHK said that amendment, which required one year's residency following a terminal diagnosis, was at odds with the need to have 12 months or less to left to live.

It was rejected by the House of Keys along with two other changes made in the upper chamber and the bill will now be passed back to the Council for consideration.

The provisions in the bill would allow for Manx residents over the age of 18 and with a prognosis of 12 months or less to live the right to choose to end their life, provided the decision had been verified by two independent doctors.

Members of the House of Keys spent just over an hour debating the 26 amendments passed by MLCs during their consideration of the proposed legislation last year.

Focusing on the residency criteria, Rob Callister MHK said five years was an "important part" of the legislation, and had been put in place following careful consideration which had concluded one year was not sufficient.

There have been campaigners on both sides of the debate throughout the bill stages

A proposed change that would have seen the medical professional overseeing a death not allowed to leave the patient alone at all during the process was also rejected.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan argued that he believed the amendment was right as the original wording of being "in close proximity" would be down to interpretation and left both the patient and medical professional exposed if anything went wrong.

But Allinson argued the proposal was "draconian" and "unworkable".

Another change made by MLCs that would introduce a requirement for a witness to include their occupation on the declaration form was also rejected after it was argued by Clare Barber MHK that it was "unnecessary".

Julie Edge MHK proposed an amendment that GPs must be Manx residents and practices must be registered on the Isle of Man to ensure they could be held accountable by the Manx public through the court system if anything went wrong.

But those proposals and a bid by the MHK to have the debate adjourned for two weeks for it to be considered were also thrown out.

Chris Thomas MHK said while it was an important point, he thought it was premature, and would be part of considerations in the drafting of regulations at a later stage.

'Disagreement'

During the debate concerns were raised about the bill by several members, including Kate Lord-Brennan MHK who argued it was "not fit for purpose" and would have "severe" consequences for the island, and should have been "bounced back" by the Legislative Council.

However, a majority of changes added by the upper chamber were agreed by the House of Keys.

Allinson said while he respected the "disagreement with this bill in its entirety and in its principles", there had been "significant debates" in both chambers over its provisions.

The bill now be passed back to the Legislative Council, which next sits on 11 March.