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Lord Falconer of Thoroton (Lab)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 27 February 2026

Debate

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Contribution

We have changed from a judge to a panel because, after considerable debate in the Commons, it was thought that having a legal person in the middle, a psychiatrist and a social worker gave greater reach and understanding of those issues. We debated that issue in full over a particularly long period of time on an earlier Friday. I am more than delighted to redebate it—however, I think that issue has been laid to rest. That does not mean one does not have to have a process whereby the doctors pass their findings to a panel, and that is the role, in part, of the assisted dying commissioner.

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