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Assisted Suicide

In September last year and following the House of Lords judgment in Purdy v DPP, the Director of Public Prosecutions issued his interim policy setting out the particular public interest factors he would take account of when deciding whether to give consent to the prosecution of a person for the offence of aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring [assisting] another to commit or attempt to commit suicide. At the same time he announced the start of a consultation process on the issue. Having considered over 4,500 responses to that consultation process, the director has today issued his final policy together with the summary of the responses. Copies of each have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It should be emphasised that the policy does not change the law but responds to the House of Lords judgment in Purdy v DPP in which the House of Lords considered that in the special case of assisted suicide the director should issue such a policy. This policy should be read in conjunction with the Code for Crown Prosecutors which will continue to apply to all cases. Additionally, following a similar public consultation process, the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland has today issued guidelines in respect of cases arising in Northern Ireland. Copies of these guidelines have also been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.