Biography
Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown has engaged extensively with assisted dying legislation through 17 debate speeches, with particular focus on safeguarding concerns including conscientious objection protections for faith-based institutions, eligibility criteria for independent advocates, and the potential for mission creep beyond terminal illness cases. His contributions reflect broader concerns about patient vulnerability, the doctor-patient relationship, and the adequacy of procedural safeguards, drawing on personal experience and professional background. Beyond assisted dying, he has raised issues including GP access, mental capacity protections, and the representation of young people in legislative processes.
Generated from their own Hansard record, below
“…Lady Grey-Thompson, which I believe is essential if we are to safeguard the valuable work of faith-based hospices and care homes, along with other institutions, that have a conscientious objection to assisted suicide.”
Record by topic
- Assisted dying46th of 37120.0
- Palliative & end of life care80th of 56818.0
- Mental health290th of 88012.0
- Learning disability & autism466th of 8996.0
- Adult social care & reform161st of 3764.0
- GP access205th of 2412.0
- Diabetes154th of 1902.0
- Cancer503rd of 6222.0
- Unpaid carers243rd of 2832.0
What they’ve said
“…These provide that a person may qualify for an independent advocate if they have a mental disorder, including a learning disability, if they are autistic or have a substantial difficulty in understanding or communicating information.”
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · 2026-03-20 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…suppose that the burden of the amendment is that doctors should be prohibited from initiating discussions about assisted dying because, if they were permitted to do so, it would fundamentally undermine the long-established patient-doctor contract and could expose vulnerable patients to undue pressure or influence at a…”
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · 2026-03-13 · Read on Hansard ↗
“My Lords, before Royal Assent has even been granted to Jersey’s Bill, a Deputy has tabled a Motion calling for assisted dying to be extended to non-terminally ill people with unbearable suffering.”
Assisted Dying Legislation: Isle of Man and Jersey · 2026-03-03 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…The voluntary assisted dying commissioner is an important role. They will be given powers both to run and monitor the service. This creates the obvious risks of inadequate public scrutiny and independent review. It is judicial in the broad sense of involving a judge, but it does not appear to have a judicial function.”
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · 2026-02-27 · Read on Hansard ↗
“…l are adequate and do not allow for voluntary acts to accelerate the timeline or even to create eligibility for assisted suicide. There seems to be a lack of clarity between terminal illness and eating disorders or voluntary action, which could undermine the very structure of the Bill itself.”
Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill · 2026-02-06 · Read on Hansard ↗
Contributions reproduced under the Open Parliament Licence.