Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill: commentary

Commentary on non-government amendments

The attached spreadsheet below provides a rolling critique of non-government amendments lodged at stages 2 and 3 of the Parliamentary process. Stage 3 amendments have now concluded.

This commentary supported informed parliamentary debate and aimed to ensure that any changes to the Bill were:

• operable
• consistent with existing law
• deliverable within Scotland's health and care systems

Amendments were assessed under the following categories:

• technical amendments - correct or clarify the Bill's legal effect or operational detail, without altering its ethical framework, policy intent, or substantive rights and responsibilities.
• ethical amendments - alter the scope, intent or moral framing of the Bill, reflecting value judgements, political sensitivities or ideological positions.
• policy amendments - clarify or align the Bill's operational detail with existing practices and policies, potentially affecting eligibility, safeguards or the balance of rights and responsibilities.

This commentary complements the scrutiny undertaken by the Scottish Parliament's Health, Social Care and Sport Committee at Stage 2, and by the full Parliament at Stage 3.