Member

I move on to Amendments 496A and 496F from the noble Lord, Lord Weir. These relate to the ability of the voluntary assisted dying commissioner to reopen a refusal of eligibility. The noble Lord’s amendments suggest including an additional category for opening up a refusal—namely that it has been refused because of vulnerabilities arising out of disability. The grounds on which the voluntary assisted dying commissioner can reopen a refusal are very restricted; it is only when the commissioner thinks there has been a very significant failure of process. While I completely understand the motivation of the noble Lord, Lord Weir, I do not think his amendments are appropriate. The tone of the noble Lord in speaking to them was to ensure that vulnerable people would not be overly pressed into an assisted death, but including this as a category in respect of which the commissioner can reopen a refusal would not necessarily meet that overarching aim.