Member

Amendment 462, tabled by the noble Lord, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, suggests that the patient has to go through an independent financial assessment. There would have to be a report from Revenue & Customs, the Financial Conduct Authority and local safeguarding boards stating that there were no concerns and no reasonable grounds to suspect the applicant’s decision had been influenced by financial motive. If there is a suggestion that the patient’s motive has been affected by someone else with a financial motivation, plainly that has to be investigated, but I am strongly against the idea that for everyone who wants an assisted death the commissioner and the panel have to go and ask His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs and the Financial Conduct Authority what their financial position is.