Written question asked by Ann Winterton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 26 October 1999, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 2 November 1999. It was answered by Lord Hutton of Furness (Labour) on Tuesday, 2 November 1999 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will estimate the numbers of mentally-incapable adults in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom in each of the last three years whose death could have been brought about by the removal of artificial nutrition and hydration if such removal were legally sanctioned (i) without recourse to the courts for such patients not in persistent vegetative state and (ii) through recourse to the courts for such patients in persistent vegetative state; and if he will estimate how many and what percentage of those patients in each year would (1) have issued an advance directive requesting such a recourse of action and (2) have such nutrition and hydration removed without their own express request. - Information requested is not available centrally.

Answer: Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the numbers of mentally incapable adults in (a) Scotland and (b) the rest of the United Kingdom in each of the last three years whose death could have been brought about by the removal of artificial nutrition and hydration if such removal were legally sanctioned (i) without recourse to the courts for such patients not in persistent vegetative state and (ii) through recourse to the courts for such patients in persistent vegetative state; and if he will estimate how many and what percentage of those patients in each year would (1) have issued an advance directive requesting such a recourse of action and (2) have such nutrition and hydration removed without their own express request. [96521] Mr. Hutton: The information requested is not available centrally.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 337 c103-4W; 96521
Session: 1998-99
Subjects: Death Court orders Euthanasia Patients Mental capacity Living wills Persistent vegetative state