THE Furness MP has said she remains ‘open-minded’ on the assisted dying bill -but added it is ‘not the right time’ to take forward reforms that would have ‘such a big impact’ on health and care services.

MP for Barrow and Furness Michelle Scrogham said she would continue to listen ‘carefully’ to the case being made from both sides and welcomes ‘all input’ into the debate on the bill, which will be considered in Parliament on November 29.

The Bill, which covers England and Wales, states only terminally ill adults with under six months left to live and a settled wish to die would be eligible.

Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the private members bill, has described it as the most ‘robust’ in the world, with ‘three layers of scrutiny’ in the form of a sign-off by two doctors and a High Court judge.

Mrs Scrogham said: “Whilst I am not opposed to reform in principle, I strongly feel that any changes to the law would need to include serious and proper safeguards. I think we also need to carefully consider the implications for our NHS which is already under considerable strain after years of underfunding and how we look at our palliative care provision.

“On such a fundamental issue I think any reforms do also need to recognise the concerns that many people have so that we can try to achieve the widest possible consensus moving forward.

“Having now had a little time to look at the details of the Bill I remain to be convinced that these concerns have been fully met and perhaps now is not the right time to take forward reforms that could have such a big impact on health and care services.

“However, I will continue to look carefully at the measures included and will be listening carefully to the case being made on both sides throughout this process. I remain open minded and welcome all input to this debate.”

Proponents argue existing legislation fails to respect patient autonomy and discriminates financially between those who can afford to travel abroad to end their lives within the law and those who cannot.

Leading barristers including former director of public prosecutions Sir Max Hill KC have spoken in favour of the Bill, saying it would offer better safeguards than the current system through a process involving two doctors and a judge.

It would also make coercion an offence with a possible punishment of 14 years in jail.

However, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron has said he would vote against the bill and warned the proposals could pose a ‘serious threat’ to vulnerable people in society.

Mr Farron said: “I’ll be voting against because the evidence from all the other countries and states that have legalised this practice strongly suggests that it is impossible to build in effective safeguards to prevent vulnerable people opting for an early death due to coercive control, self coercion or in desperation due to a failure of society to provide adequate palliative care or pain control.”

“All the same, I do strongly empathise with those who propose this bill for reasons of compassion and understand where they are coming from. Nevertheless, I do think this bill is a serious threat to vulnerable people throughout our society and so I will oppose it.”