Holyrood event brings Assisted Dying Bill into focus

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur's Member's Bill proposes that competent terminally ill adults could request assistance to end their lives

Faith leaders in Scotland have met in Holyrood to voice their opposition to proposals which would allow assisted dying in Scotland.

The Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church and the Scottish Association of Mosques all took part in the event in the Scottish Parliament.

They were objecting to Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur's Member's Bill which proposes that competent terminally ill adults could request assistance to end their lives.

Against the bill - 'My four children died in dignity'

A joint statement by the faith leaders said: "Our faith traditions are united in the principle that assisted dying in itself inevitably undermines the dignity of the human person, and to allow it would mean that our society as a whole loses its common humanity.

"The Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, and the Scottish Association of Mosques remain firm in their opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia."

For the bill - 'My wife wanted to end her own suffering'

However, the Humanist Society Scotland said the proposed legislation would give people the right to control their own deaths in a way that minimises suffering.

Chief executive Fraser Sutherland said: "Equally (the Bill) will protect and respect the choices of individuals who do not wish to access a medically assisted death and provide a right to conscientious objection for medical practitioners.

"The question arising from this event for MSPs and wider society is why the views of three senior clerics should take precedence and block the rights of others to a choice that meets their beliefs on life and death in their final hours."

Last year, Mr McArthur won the right to introduce his bill to parliament and it is currently being drafted, with a final text planned for later this year.

• Could Scotland legalise assisted dying?

The proposed Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would “enable competent adults who are terminally ill to be provided at their request with assistance to end their life”.

It would be available to people aged 16 and over, with a prognosis of no longer than six months to live, deemed to be of competent mind and able to administer and ingest the medication themselves.

MSPs will be given a free vote on the assisted dying legislation, meaning they do not need to vote in line with their party and there will be no whip applied.