L

Lord Shinkwin (Con)

Speaking in the House of Lords on 12 December 2025

Debate

Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Contribution

My Lords, I will keep my remarks very brief. I rise to speak in support of Amendments 30A and 119A in the name of my noble friend Lady Berridge. I thank her most sincerely for tabling them and thank my noble friend Lady Monckton for her supportive remarks. Disabled people and people with Down’s syndrome should know that this House would never treat them as bottom of the heap. Given the evidence provided to the Select Committee by the National Down Syndrome Policy Group, the question to my mind is not so much why we would want, but why would we not want to support the provisions in these amendments? We are talking about vulnerable young adults who deserve and need extra protection on account of their disability. I say that as a disabled person who has been involved in championing disability rights for almost 30 years. Such protection as would be afforded by these amendments is neither patronising nor discriminatory. On the contrary, it is our duty to strike the correct balance between rights and protection. I believe these amendments do so.

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