Oral question asked in the House of Lords, by Baroness Jay of Paddington (Labour). It was answered on Tuesday, 20 October 2009.

Assisted Suicide: House of Lords Judgment

Question: My Lords, does my noble friend agree that one of the most helpful things in the interim policy is the attempt to draw a distinction between what one might describe as compassionate assistance and malicious assistance, although that would clearly be difficult to prove in a prosecution case? Does my noble friend agree that this might be precisely an area where the kind of independent inquiry suggested by my noble friend who asked the Question would be very useful?

Answer: My Lords, that area could indeed be something that an inquiry could look at but there are many other areas in the arguments both for and against prosecution that any such inquiry would want to look into. However, I shall take back the point that there should be such an inquiry.

Secondary information

Type: Oral question
Reference: 713 c563
Session: 2008-09
Oral question type: Supplementary
Chamber / Committee: House of Lords chamber
Subjects: Crown Prosecution Service House of Lords Euthanasia Judgements Prosecutions Purdy, Debbie
Link: View this Oral question on www.publications.parliament.uk