Explainer: What Christians need to know about the Assisted Suicide Bill

The committee scrutinising Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill have heard evidence from more than 50 experts and is now debating amendments - including that cases would no longer have to be signed off by a High Court judge. If just 28 MPs switch to oppose the bill when it returns to parliament, it would be defeated, says Catherine Robinson 

It is a vital week for Kim Leadbeater’s bill to legalise assisted suicide. The committee of MPs tasked with scrutinising her bill have begun looking at the details and vote on the amendments MPs have tables. It will then return to the house of commons for a third vote.

Several MPs who voted against the bill at second reading have tabled amendments to make the bill slightly less dangerous and to improve the currently scant protection for vulnerable people in the bill. Conversely, there are attempts by MPs who voted for the bill at second reading to make an already bad bill worse by expanding the eligibility criteria for assisted suicide.  

Leadbeater herself has already put forward a number of amendments. The High Court function of determining whether someone should be allowed an assisted suicide - a key safeguard touted by supporters of the bill - has now been dropped due to concerns over the capacity of courts. This may cause significant nervousness among some MPs who only gave the bill qualified support at the second reading on the basis of such safeguards.