MOVES to bring in assisted dying laws in different parts of the British Isles, including Jersey, have sparked concern from MPs in Westminster about the potential for “divergence” between jurisdictions.

With the principle of allowing Islanders to end their lives having been passed by the States Assembly in November 2021, and a further debate on the details scheduled in late May, developments in the Island featured prominently in a report issued by the UK Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee this week.

Politicians in the Isle of Man have also backed the concept, while a bill is due to be introduced in the devolved Scottish Parliament later this year.

The report stated: “It looks increasingly likely that at least one jurisdiction among the UK and Crown Dependencies will allow [assisted dying] in the near future and ministers should be actively involved in discussions about how to approach the divergence in legislation.”

The committee also recommended doctors be given clear guidance on how to respond to requests for medical reports from terminally-ill patients considering travelling abroad for an assisted death.

Steve Brine, the Conservative MP for Winchester who chairs the cross-party group of MPs, said: “The inquiry on assisted dying and assisted suicide raised the most complex issues that we as a committee have faced, with strong feelings and opinions in the evidence we heard.”

The issue was also raised during a de-bate in the House of Commons on Thursday, with leader of the house Penny Mordaunt MP acknowledging “the head of steam that is building behind both sides of the argument”.

Responding to a question from Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, Ms Mordaunt said that any debate in the UK Parliament would be on a “free vote” basis, due to the subject being considered a matter of conscience.

Debate timetable

•Jersey’s timetable for the next debate on the matter has been accelerated by new Health Minister Tom Binet, a prominent campaigner in support of assisted dying prior to his election to the States Assembly.

While his predecessor, Deputy Karen Wilson, stated last October that the debate on details of Jersey’s law would be delayed by around six months until the third quarter of this year, Deputy Binet confirmed on 21 February that he would lodge a report and proposition on 22 March. This would be followed by an extended nine-week period before the debate on 21 May.

He said this move recognised calls made by a number of States Members to bring forward the legislation as soon as possible, adding: “I feel that this strikes the appropriate balance between offering States Members sufficient time to consider the proposals without creating any further delays to progress this piece of work.”