MSs grant consent for proposed Westminster legislation on assisted dying

Assisted dying services on the NHS In Wales have moved a step closer after Senedd members voted in favour of granting consent for proposed Westminster legislation.

Following an emotional debate in Cardiff Bay, the Senedd backed a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) linked to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which is currently progressing through the House of Lords.

If passed at Westminster, the bill would legalise assisted dying across England and Wales, allowing terminally ill adults meeting strict criteria to seek medical assistance to end their lives.

The Senedd vote does not change the criminal law on assisted dying. Instead, it gives Welsh ministers the ability to shape how any future assisted dying system would operate within NHS Wales, including oversight, safeguards, and Welsh-language provision.

The motion was approved by 28 votes to 23, with two abstentions. Voting records show divisions across party lines.

While most Labour and Plaid Cymru members supported the motion, First Minister Eluned Morgan and Health Secretary Jeremy Miles voted against it.

Several senior Plaid Cymru figures, including the party’s health spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor and deputy leader Delyth Jewell, also opposed the measure.

All Conservative members voted against the motion, while the Senedd’s two Reform members abstained.

Despite voting against the LCM, Jeremy Miles warned members during the debate that rejecting the motion would leave Welsh ministers without powers to implement or regulate assisted dying services in Wales if the Westminster bill becomes law.

Milestone 

Humanists UK and campaign group My Death, My Decision welcomed the outcome, describing it as a significant constitutional and healthcare milestone for Wales.

Kathy Riddick, Wales coordinator at Humanists UK, said: “This is a hugely important moment for Wales. By passing the Legislative Consent Motion, the Senedd has ensured that dying people in Wales will not be treated as an afterthought.

“Wales can now shape an assisted dying system that reflects our language, our communities, and our NHS.”

Campaigners argue the vote allows Wales to design an approach rooted in Welsh healthcare structures and values, including ensuring patients can access assessments and information in Welsh.

However, the future of the bill at Westminster remains uncertain. A large number of amendments tabled in the House of Lords has raised doubts about whether the legislation can complete its passage before the end of the current parliamentary session.

If the bill does not progress in time, it would need to be reintroduced in a future session.

Gemma Williams, from Carmarthenshire, who has lived with multiple sclerosis for more than two decades, said the Senedd vote was a source of pride.

“I’m so proud of the Welsh Parliament today,” she said.

“Giving Wales the power to tailor how the law works will protect people like me and will hopefully ensure no one has to go through what my family did.”