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<p>The law in this area is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and representations to the Prime Minister are generally transferred to this Department for a response.</p><p>Within the Ministry of Justice, policy responsibility sits with the Law, Rights and International Directorate in which there is a total of 105.5 full time equivalent posts. The work on assisted dying, including litigation, is covered primarily by one band B official (who spends about half her time on the subject) with support from one band A official, one SCS official and the Legal</p><p>Directorate. The relevant officials have each held a number of other posts in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.</p><p>The Government's view is that any change to the law in this emotive area is an issue of individual conscience and a matter for Parliament to decide, rather than for Government policy.</p><p>The Government will take a collective view on the Assisted Dying Bill in order to respond to the debate at Second Reading. We have received copies of an analysis of the Assisted Dying Bill prepared by the Living and Dying Well organisation which opposes the Bill; and a letter to the Prime Minister, in response to that analysis, from the Bill's sponsor, my noble Friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton, and other parliamentarians who support the Bill. We have also received a copy of a letter to the Deputy Prime Minister from the CARE charity which opposes the Bill. Neither the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), nor I have had discussions with hon. Members and right hon. Members specifically about the Bill or more generally.</p><p>The Department regularly receives correspondence from hon. Members and right hon. Members on behalf of constituents who support or oppose relaxation of the law in this area. We also regularly receive such correspondence direct from members of the public. Sometimes letters refer to specific developments such as the Assisted Dying Bill; more often, they express a general view on whether or not the law should change. We do not collect information on the proportion of representations for and against change.</p><p>In response to all representations received, we make clear the Government's view that this is a matter for Parliament.</p> |