Written question asked by David Amess (Conservative) on Thursday, 28 October 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 9 November 1999. It was answered by Baroness Stuart of Edgbaston (Labour) on Tuesday, 9 November 1999 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to introduce legislation requiring that the withdrawal of food and fluid from persistent vegetative state patients be subject to a court order but otherwise following the Guideline of the British Medical Association on the withdrawal of treatment.

Answer: Mr. Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce legislation requiring that the withdrawal of food and fluid from persistent vegetative state patients be subject to a court order but otherwise following the Guideline of the British Medical Association on the withdrawal of treatment. [97097] Ms Stuart: The courts have ruled that the withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration from a patient who is diagnosed in a persistent vegetative state should first be referred to a court for a decision. We have no plans to change the law in this respect. We have no plans to introduce legislation requiring the guidelines of the British Medical Association on the Withholding and Withdrawal of Life-prolonging Medical Treatment to be followed.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 97097; 337 c480W
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Court orders Food Euthanasia Medical treatments Patients Mental capacity Persistent vegetative state