Delay to 2nd Reading of Access to Welfare Bill

[Kayleigh]

Dear MNDA,

I have read on the MNDA website the very disappointing news that the 2nd reading of the "Access to Welfare (Terminal Illness Definition) Bill 2017-19" has been delayed until 25 January 2019.

Does the MNDA know why it has been delayed? (or maybe a specific reason for the delay does not have to be given?).

If it it has been delayed because the business of BREXIT has taken priority, then this is extremely frustrating because the timetable for BREXIT has been known for a long time and should have been taken into account when the 2nd reading of the Bill was scheduled for 23 November 2018. I understand that there is still a way to go with this Bill as even after the 2nd reading there is a third reading of the Bill etc. Hopefully, the letter that the MNDA has recently written to the Work and Pensions Secretary will be effective in ensuring that there are no further delays.

As I am sure you will understand, I find that the Government deciding to 'bump' the Bill out of the way until next year is insulting to terminally ill people. The Government has the luxury of taking as much time as it deems necessary to consider the Bill but it should take into consideration that for terminally ill people, time is of the essence.

Regards

Kayleigh

[MNDConnect]

Dear Kayleigh,

I contacted our external affairs team for a response to your question regarding a delay to the reading, and their reply is below:

The Bill has been pushed back until January because it was ‘objected to’ in the House of Commons.

A Private Member’s Bill such as Madeleine’s only takes one MP to shout ‘object’ and the Bill has its second reading effectively pushed-back to the next available sitting, which for this Bill is 25th January. Although there are MPs across all parties supporting the Bill, it really does need Government support for it to not be objected to.

This is why we will keep campaigning around the Bill ahead of 25th January to try and get Government support for it.

You can see the latest news piece here: https://www.mndassociation.org/news-...-been-delayed/

With kind regards
Jacqui Anderson
Senior MND Connect Adviser

[Kayleigh]

Dear Jacqui,

Many thanks for kindly responding to my post.

It is such a shame and disappointing that the Bill was objected to in the House of Commons. I had not imagined that the Bill would be delayed for this reason because I didn't think that any MP would want to object to a Bill that would benefit terminally ill people.

Thank you for clarifying the situation.

Kind regards,
Kayleigh