Lord Falconer of Thoroton (Lab)

I will certainly give it thought, but my reading of the definition of domestic abuse in the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is that it is an effective means of covering the sort of economic abuse habitually seen between domestic partners. I think that covers it but, because of my respect for the noble Baroness, I will certainly look at whether it needs to be expanded. What the noble Baroness is referring to is a problem in the definition of domestic abuse generally in relation to economic abuse, which I do not think is there and was certainly not the intention of the 2021 Act. I turn to the other issues. First, on “other than illness”, this is about when one or other of the two doctors withdraws from the process without giving a reason—simply withdrawing from the process. I completely understand what the noble Baroness, Lady Fox, is saying, which is that if someone is withdrawing because they think the person is being pressured, that must be recorded somewhere and any other doctors must be able to see it. What we are dealing with here is not that situation. We are simply dealing with a doctor who withdraws and gives no reason. Should the patient have to establish that there is a good reason for the withdrawal, or is it enough that the doctor has withdrawn and is no longer willing to participate? All the amendment does is to say, “If you can’t or won’t go on, you can get another doctor”, which is not a change in sense but makes clear what those provisions are. When I say “those provisions”, I am referring to those that allow for a replacement doctor when one of the other doctors—the originally appointed one—cannot go on.