Thank you for contacting me about the Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying.

I recognise that this is a very sensitive issue for many. Coping with terminal illness is distressing and difficult both for the patient and their families. I fully accept that suicide, assisting or encouraging suicide, assisted dying and euthanasia are all subjects on which it is entirely possible for people to hold widely different but defensible opinions.

My own personal standpoint is that I do not intend to support assisted dying and feel strongly about this topic. I still encourage and appreciate constituents sharing their views and I appreciate you raising the debate with me.

I would however like to note that I believe terminally ill patients should receive the highest quality palliative support and end-of-life care, and that they and their families should be certain that their end-of-life care will meet all of their needs.

It remains the Government’s view that any change to the law in this sensitive area is a matter for Parliament to decide and an issue of conscience for individual Parliamentarians rather than one for Government policy. Parliament has debated this issue on several occasions including today, but has so far voted against proposals to legalise assisted dying.