UK ministers have been given the freedom to vote according to their personal convictions on legislation that would allow terminally ill adults to seek assisted death, as the government steps aside from one of the country’s most sensitive ethical debates.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said ministers would be free to “vote, or abstain, however they wish” on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which seeks to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales.
The government has suspended collective responsibility for ministers on the proposed legislation, allowing Cabinet members to support, oppose or abstain from votes based on their individual views.
In a personal minute circulated to ministers on Friday, Burnham said the decision followed the reintroduction of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
He described assisted dying as “an incredibly important and deeply personal issue” on which ministers could legitimately hold different positions.
“As is long-standing convention for such issues of conscience, I have set aside collective responsibility on the Bill and on the question of whether assisted dying should be permitted,” he said.
“That means Ministers can vote, or abstain, however they wish.”
Burnham said the government would remain neutral on both the principle of assisted dying and the Bill’s passage through Parliament.
“The Government will remain neutral on the question of assisted dying and on the passage of the Bill,” he said.
However, he said the government would continue to fulfil its responsibilities towards the statute book and ensure that any changes approved by Parliament could be effectively implemented.
Ministers Urged to Respect Opposing Views
Burnham acknowledged that ministers would approach the issue from different personal experiences and urged them to treat opposing positions with dignity and respect.
“We will all bring different life experiences to this debate, and I know the decisions Ministers come to will weigh heavily on them,” he said.
“As such, everyone must be given the space to arrive at their own view, and it is vital that those different views are treated with dignity and respect.”
Ministers Told to Stay Out of Public Campaign
The Prime Minister also instructed ministers not to use their government positions to influence the wider public debate surrounding the legislation.
He said ministers should be able to make their decisions without feeling that the government was attempting to influence Parliament.
“At the despatch box, I ask that Ministers reiterate that this is a question for Parliament, on which the official Government position is to remain neutral,” Burnham said.
He said the same principle should apply outside Parliament, including when ministers engage with traditional and social media.
However, ministers would not be required to withdraw views they had previously expressed on assisted dying.
“Of course, Ministers do not need to resile from their previously stated view when directly asked about them and can correspond with constituents about their previous position,” Burnham said.
He nevertheless urged ministers to avoid becoming active participants in the wider public campaign or commenting on the potential implications of the Bill for their individual departmental responsibilities.
Collective Responsibility Relaxed
Burnham stressed that the suspension of collective responsibility was exceptional and limited specifically to the assisted-dying debate.
“As you will be aware, this is an exceptional arrangement, which applies only to the question of whether, and how, Parliament should legislate on the issue of assisted dying.
“Collective responsibility will apply as usual across the rest of Government business,” he said.
He added that if Parliament voted to change the law, implementation of the new legislation would become government policy.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill will therefore be considered against the backdrop of an officially neutral government, with ministers free to support, oppose or abstain from votes according to their individual convictions.
