Baroness Lawlor (Con)

My Lords, I thank all noble Lords who have contributed to this group. I am very grateful for the attention focused on the problems that people face in their lives, particularly those who have exceptional difficulties in exercising freedoms that we, as has been pointed out, all take for granted. This suite of amendments sought to try to restrict the possibility of others pressurising people, particularly people in this very difficult position, to take a decision to seek assisted suicide under the Bill which they might not otherwise have taken had they had the support and had they not had the disabilities which have been mentioned in these amendments. They also seek to restrict the Bill to those who wanted to relieve pain only. I am afraid I have been a bit disappointed, if I may say, with the noble and learned Lord the sponsor. In stressing autonomy and choice by one person, he is, I fear—perhaps inadvertently—neglecting the autonomy and choice of those who may want to live with their disability, with whatever ailment they have been born with or developed over their life but are facing terminal illness. We are concentrating on the autonomy of the person, but we are not giving enough attention in the Bill, I fear, to those who feel pressure, who feel they are a burden and who wish to avoid causing distress to those they love. In doing so, we are doing a great disservice to the men and women of this country who do not want to be a burden to those they love. That burden is increased by virtue of the cost of living and the difficulties they have in making choices. We are putting the choice of those who want it and who have firm, clear intent, over those who may not wish to do it but feel pressured for the reasons of their life and their circumstances into doing so. I shall withdraw my amendment for now, but I hope to bring it back, if the noble Baroness, Lady Foster, wishes to bring hers back, and support the other amendments in this group.