Baroness Burt of Solihull (LD)

My Lords, I cannot tell you how disappointed I am to see this important Bill come down to this. I feel very strongly for the sponsors, as well, over some of the accusations that have been made here. I am not a medical or a legal specialist, but I am going to take just two minutes to make one point. Despite being given the extra time that we have had, we are faced with a Bill that has not now been properly considered. A great opportunity has been wasted for a very small number of noble Lords to go to the extreme point. I am no stranger to this: I have had several Private Member’s Bills on schools lost for the only reason that they ran out of time. It is clear to me that the Private Members’ Bill is not suitable for purpose, and this is better highlighted nowhere than here today. The difference is that this started in and passed the House of Commons, so it already has the approval of the House, and not just this House but the proportion of the British public who support it. They can see that the tactic of delay and manipulation is wrong, so I suggest that the Member system should be revised; it is not allowed to play with a Bill that has the clear will of the House—and I believe the collective House, although we never had the opportunity to test that. However, looking past the non-passage of this Bill, those who took part in its fall have taken away the opportunity, and surely the right, of a painless death if that is a patient’s wish. I hope that the elected House will involve the Parliament Act and stop making the perfect the enemy of the good.