Our CEO Fraser Sutherland makes case for assisted dying to Holyrood health committee
January 22, 2025
Fraser was giving evidence to Holyrood’s Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee as part of Scottish parliament’s ongoing evidence-gathering on assisted dying bill for Scotland.
Our CEO Fraser Sutherland appeared at a meeting of Holyrood’s Health, Social Care, and Sport Committee yesterday morning to make the humanist case for assisted dying. Fraser answered questions on palliative care, coercion, age limits, administration methods, and conscientious objection.
When challenged on the possibility that assisted dying places the needs of the individual over the rights of vulnerable groups, Fraser reminded the committee that a terminal illness-only model of assisted dying poses no risk to disable people. “We’re talking about terminally ill people…This is inherently about people who are dying…That’s very clear from the definition of terminal illness in the bill.” Fraser also clarified that assisted dying is already taking place through passive means around the country. This is happening without any checks or oversight. Assisted dying laws would therefore “provide a framework for oversight and assessment” of what is already taking place.
Fraser was part of a panel of organisations that support assisted dying, including representatives of Dignity in Dying, Friends at the End, and the Scottish Christian Forum on Assisted Dying. Meanwhile, opponents of the bill gave evidence during a later session. Familiar arguments about risks to disabled people, risks of coercion, and sanctity of life, were offered. These seem increasingly untenable in the face of broad international evidence supporting change. Legalisation is also backed by a large majority of the Scottish public.
For Humanist Society Scotland, this morning represented a major milestone on a decades-long journey. Humanism as an ethical position supports secularism, human rights, and bodily autonomy. This encompasses the right for terminally ill people to end their lives on their own terms. Humanist Society Scotland was formed in 1989 and ever since then it has campaigned for the legalisation of assisted dying. Fraser explained all this in a column for The Herald yesterday morning.
Liam McArthur MSP’s assisted dying bill for Scotland was lodged in March 2024, after many years of preparatory work. If passed at Holyrood, it will give terminally ill adults in Scotland the right to opt for an assisted death. Only those living with advanced and progressive terminal conditions would be eligible to apply. There would be rigorous tests to assess mental capacity and detect coercion, ensuring that all applicants were making fully informed decisions of their own free will. And each decision would be verified by two independent doctors. Crucially, unlike in some countries, assisted dying would not be available to people with lifelong, non-terminal conditions or disabilities.
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