Committee picked to debate assisted dying bill amendments voted mostly in favour of law

11 December 2024, 16:58 | Updated: 11 December 2024, 20:40

The members of the committee who will consider the assisted dying bill has a majority of those who voted in favour of the changes.

MPs voted at the end of November to progress the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to the next stage in parliament.

By passing its second reading, it gave parliamentarians more time to scrutinise the bill and suggest amendments, as happens at committee stage.

In total, 21 backbench MPs are on the committee - 12 who voted for it and nine who voted against it.

There are also two ministers - care minister Stephen Kinnock and justice minister Sarah Sackman - who will represent both their departments and the government as a whole. Both voted in favour of the bill.

The bill was proposed by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, rather than from the government as law changes normally are.

However, in order for such a bill to progress, the government has to provide the time for MPs to debate and vote on it, as has happened in this case.

MPs were given a "free" - or "conscience" - vote, meaning they were not told by their party how to cast their ballot.

It also means ministers can vote however they want, and there are two ministers present on the committee.

The second reading vote saw the bill pass by 330 to 275.

The vote came after a five-hour debate in the chamber, which drew emotional opinions on both sides.

Read more on assisted dying:
Beth Rigby: Vote evoked my mother's end of life
Check how your MP voted for the bill
What does the bill propose

Public bill committee process

All bills, after being provisionally voted on by MPs, go to a committee to consider the legislation.

These committees are usually made up of 17 MPs, and have to be representative of the makeup of the Commons.

They have the power to call witnesses and request evidence, and members of the public and groups are also able to get in contact with them.

This takes place in much the same way as a select committee.

As well as this power, the MPs on the committee will also vote on whether to amend the bill.

Amendments can be submitted by all members of the House of Commons - not just those on the committee - at this point, but it is up to the MPs on the committee to decide on which to pass.

Once this process is complete, the bill in its amended form will return to the whole House of Commons to be voted on in the next stage.