Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – in the House of Commons at 1:30 pm on 13 June 2025.
“(1) In section 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (duty to investigate certain deaths), after subsection (7) insert—
‘(7A) In this Chapter a reference to an “unnatural death” does not include a death caused by the self-administration by the deceased of an approved substance, within the meaning of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Act 2025, that was provided to the deceased in accordance with that Act.’
(2) In section 20 of that Act (medical certificate of cause of death), after subsection (4) insert—
‘(4A) Regulations under subsection (1) may make, in respect of cases where assistance was provided or purportedly provided to the deceased under the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Act 2025—
(a) such provision that is similar to, or that corresponds to, provision mentioned in subsection (1) as the Secretary of State considers appropriate;
(b) such further provision as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(4B) Regulations under subsection (1) must provide that in cases where the cause of death appears, to the best of the knowledge and belief of the person issuing a certificate under the regulations, to be the self-administration by the deceased of an approved substance (within the meaning of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Act 2025) that was provided to the deceased in accordance with that Act, the certificate must—
(a) state the cause of death to be “assisted death”, and
(b) contain a record of the illness or disease which caused the person to be terminally ill within the meaning of that Act.’
(3) In Schedule 1 to that Act (suspension of investigations etc), in the definition in paragraph 1(6) of ‘homicide offence’, after paragraph (d) insert—
‘(e) an offence under section 31, 32 or 33 of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Act 2025;’.”—(Kim Leadbeater.)
This new clause provides that references in Chapter 1 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (investigations into deaths) to unnatural deaths do not include deaths caused by self-administration of approved substances provided in accordance with the Bill. It makes offences under clauses 31 to 33 “homicide offences” for the purposes of that Act. It also amends the powers in that Act in respect of medical certificates of cause of death.
Brought up, read the First and Second time, and added to the Bill.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
A parliamentary bill is divided into sections called clauses.
Printed in the margin next to each clause is a brief explanatory `side-note' giving details of what the effect of the clause will be.
During the committee stage of a bill, MPs examine these clauses in detail and may introduce new clauses of their own or table amendments to the existing clauses.
When a bill becomes an Act of Parliament, clauses become known as sections.