Lord Sandhurst (Con)

My Lords, I will follow my noble friend and, I hope, be reasonably concise. I asked for my Amendment 829 to be grouped with these amendments as it covers the same substantive ground. It was helpful that, about a fortnight ago, with the noble Lord, Lord Hendy, I met the noble and learned Lord, and we discussed this situation. Broadly speaking, there was acceptance. As I understand it, the sponsor of this Bill will be bringing forward an amendment which will tidy up various loose ends. The word “review” will be changed to “assessment”, there will be reference to victims of occupational diseases and one or two other tidying-up matters. As has been explained—I can do this briefly, but it is important—as the Bill is drafted, it is highly probable that a victim of an occupational disease, such as asbestosis caused by the negligence of some tortfeasor, will, if they go down the assisted dying route, lose the right to recover damages for the injury that has put them in the position where they wish to die. This will also mean that their heirs and successors—their family—will lose that right to the Fatal Accidents Act claim. If someone is suffering from a horrible illness, they may decide that they cannot bear it any longer and that they wish to terminate their life just a few months before the end. It would be quite wrong if their family and dependants, who deserve the money to cover themselves for the whole of the life that that person would have enjoyed but for the injury that created the asbestosis, should lose that entitlement to compensation because the victim has gone down the route of assisted dying. As the law stands—it has been to the Supreme Court or the House of Lords not in this context exactly but in others—it is quite clear that this would be a break in the chain of causation. It seems such to me and to others who are interested in this field.