Assisted dying: MSPs to take rare step of Friday sitting to get through legislation
Politicians to sit late into the night as final vote looms
MSPs grappling with the question of legalising assisted dying will need to return to Holyrood on Friday as parliament falls “way behind” schedule.
More than 300 amendments have been tabled to Liam McArthur MSP’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill, which has seen MSPs sitting until late into the night on Tuesday and Wednesday.
MSPs are due to sit late into the night again on Thursday and will need to take the unusual step of returning to Holyrood on Friday to get through all the amendments before the final vote on Tuesday.
This comes after the parliament’s lights went out as the debate dragged on into the night on Wednesday.
Several MSPs have condemned the decision, saying not enough parliamentary time has been put aside for this life-or-death piece of legislation.
Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: “This is a nonsensical situation.
“This bill was introduced five years ago - and here we are cramming vital debates and votes into the last few days of the session.
“What a shambles.”
Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra added: “The last few hours in the Scottish Parliament have been a disgraceful farce.
“A government that has completely lost control of legislation and a parliament that cannot keep the lights on.”
Labour’s deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “This process feels slightly chaotic and I don’t think [it] shows the parliament in a terribly good light.”
She added the Scottish Parliament has “consistently underestimated” the amount of time needed to debate this bill.
Independent MSP Jeremy Balfour said: “If this parliament genuinely seeks to be a parliament that wants those who have caring responsibilities or who need carers to be involved, to change the timetable at this time of the week makes it very difficult for some individuals.
“I know there are members who will not be able to be here on Friday because they have caring responsibilities, or they themselves need carers.”
Parliamentary Business Minister Graeme Dey said the parliament is behind schedule, which is why the rare step of a Friday debate has been scheduled.
He said: “We scheduled a lot of time for this particular piece of legislation.
“Extensive work was done by the parliament staff and by business managers to arrive at the original scheduling for the assisted dying bill.
“But that was entirely predicated on progress being made in line with what might reasonably be predicted.”
He admitted that dealing with amendments had “not proceeded at the anticipated pace” and that Holyrood had to find “additional and exceptional time” to get through all the necessary stages of this bill.
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