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Chamber and committees

Jersey States Assembly Approves Assisted Dying

  • Submitted by: Liam McArthur, Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats.
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
  • Motion reference: S6M-02290

That the Parliament notes the news that the States Assembly, which is the parliament of the island of Jersey, has voted overwhelmingly to support a proposition for assisted dying; understands that this is the first jurisdiction in the British Isles to approve this choice; notes that the States Assembly was asked to agree in principle that assisted dying should be permitted on the island in limited circumstances, following a citizens’ jury, which had been tasked with examining the arguments for and against legalisation earlier in 2021; understands that the citizens’ jury strongly recommended that the law should be changed to allow the choice for dying citizens; further understands that Jersey’s Council of Ministers will now be tasked with drafting assisted dying legislation to be debated by the States Assembly by the end of 2022; notes that the vote took place shortly after New South Wales, which is the only Australian state still to legalise assisted dying, passed a vote for the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill in the lower house by 53 votes to 36, and looks forward to what it sees as further progress in granting terminally ill adults and their families greater compassion, dignity and choice.


Supported by: Karen Adam, Ariane Burgess, Alexander Burnett, Jackson Carlaw, Maggie Chapman, Alex Cole-Hamilton, Kenneth Gibson, Liam Kerr, Bill Kidd, Douglas Lumsden, Rona Mackay, Paul Sweeney, David Torrance, Tess White, Elena Whitham