Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson is raising a crucial point over the UK’s assisted dying laws. She’s urging Westminster to play nice and not overstep its role regarding Wales’ stance on the matter. With a new Senedd coming soon, starting negotiations from scratch might be necessary, which could complicate things between England and Wales.
The House of Lords is digging into the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which covers both England and Wales. However, Welsh ministers get the final say on how it’s regulated in Wales. But, there’s concern about potentially creating a “two-tiered system”. Plaid Cymru’s Baroness Carmen Smith worries it could mean people in England have choices that those in Wales do not.
Lady Grey-Thompson points out that many still don’t grasp how devolution works. She emphasises that Westminster must be mindful about what is and isn’t within Welsh jurisdiction to avoid straining cross-border relationships. With a Senedd election next year, the whole picture could change.
Assisted dying is no stranger to debate in Wales. Just last year, the Senedd narrowly voted against supporting its principle. Baroness Smith stresses that while health policy is Wales’ domain, crime and justice remain under London’s thumb. She warns against excluding Wales from the Bill, which could leave terminally ill patients there in a bind.
Lord Harper, a Conservative, suggests that the Bill blurs lines between health and criminal justice. Confusion reigns over whether patients in Wales, registered with GPs in England, would follow English or Welsh guidelines. He suggests that missing conversations at the start of this legislative process might be causing the current mess. As the Bill has already cleared the Commons, the discussions in the Lords are crucial before it can become law, with loads of amendments and more debates on the way.
Let’s keep an eye on how this plays out and what it might mean for the future of healthcare in Wales!