A government minister is speaking out in support of assisted dying legislation on the island following a key vote held in Jersey.

Dr Alex Allinson has been a vocal supporter of such legislation being discussed here in the past.

He said: ’In January 2020, I triggered a debate around the legislation necessary to enable assisted dying for people on our island.

’It was clear at the time that whilst there was general support for such a move, politicians wanted to learn more about the subject and the range of options introduced in other jurisdictions.

’Since then, there have been a number of developments with an opinion poll in June this year showing that 87% of islanders support terminally ill, mentally competent adults being allowed choice of an assisted death in their final months of life and 75% feeling it is important that a change in the law is debated by Tynwald.

’In October, Baroness Meacher’s Assisted Dying Bill passed its second reading in the House of Lords and a separate Bill introduced by Liam MacArthur MSP is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny in the Scottish Parliament.

’In the new year I hope to be able to provide up to date briefings for Tynwald members on the issues around choice, personal autonomy and assisted dying before asking for leave to introduce legislation to enable this to be formally debated by our elected representatives.’

Last week, Jersey’s States Assembly - the island’s parliament - voted by 36 to 10 to support a proposition on assisted dying, paving the way for it to be the first British jurisdiction to permit the choice.

The assembly was asked to agree in principle that assisted dying should be allowed on the island in limited circumstances, after a citizens’ jury was tasked with examining the arguments for and against legalisation earlier this year.

The jury strongly recommended that the law should be changed to allow this choice for citizens who are mentally competent and either terminally ill or unbearably suffering.

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As a British Crown Dependency, Jersey is able to legislate on this matter independently from the UK government - as would be the case if we were to legalise assisted dying in our island.

Following the historic vote, Jersey’s Council of Ministers will now be tasked with drafting assisted dying legislation to be debated by the States Assembly by the end of next year.

The vote came amid overwhelming public support, with 90% of islanders there agreeing that the law should change to allow terminally ill, mentally competent adults the choice of an assisted death.

Around 73% strongly support the law change, and only 3% believe that Jersey should wait for the UK to act first.

One Jersey resident, Paul Gazzard, whose husband Alain du Chemin died of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, in May, welcomed the result.

Mr du Chemin had arranged an assisted death in Switzerland, but his condition deteriorated before he could make the journey. Before his death, he contributed personal testimony to the citizens’ jury and wrote to States Members urging them to support a change in the law on assisted dying.

Mr Gazzard said: ’I am delighted that States Members have chosen today to stand with terminally ill people and their loved ones and reject the ban on assisted dying. I was touched that several speeches referred to Alain; he would have been honoured to have played a part in this historic moment. The current law in Jersey meant that Alain was denied the right to die on his own terms at home, forcing us to try to arrange an assisted death abroad in the middle of a pandemic. This sapped time and energy when both were in short supply, taking a toll at an already difficult time.

’To have had the option of assisted dying in Jersey alongside end of life care would have saved us both so much stress and anxiety in his final months.’

He added: ’It is heartening to know that other terminally ill people may be given this choice in future and won’t have to suffer as Alain did, and that his tireless campaigning was not in vain.’

This news begs the question of whether there would be similar support for such a law change on the Isle of Man.

Earlier this year, the majority of candidates standing in the general election supported the principle of assisted dying legislation - as evidenced in the survey we conducted at Isle of Man Newspapers.

Of the 61 candidates who responded to our survey, 37 reported explicit support for legislation, three said they were undecided and only five said they were opposed, with several of the remaining candidates expressing support for a public consultation or referendum on the topic.

At the time, Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, who campaigned for a change in the law on assisted dying, said: ’Clearly this is an issue whose time has come for the Isle of Man. Terminally ill islanders have for too long been forced to suffer against their wishes or take matters into their own hands.

’Momentum for change is growing right across the British Isles and the Isle of Man can and should lead the way, ensuring high quality end-of-life care alongside the ability to determine how, when and where we die.’