Jersey has become the second British Isles jurisdiction to approve legislation for assisted dying, though concerns persist over the slow pace of such laws reaching the statute books. The island's States Assembly passed its draft Assisted Dying Law on Thursday, a crucial step before it proceeds for royal assent to formally become law.
The move follows the Isle of Man, where the Tynwald became the first parliament in the British Isles to agree a framework for assisted dying in March last year. However, supporters have raised concerns about the almost year-long wait for the Isle of Man Bill to be granted royal assent, highlighting potential delays in the implementation of similar legislation.
Under Jersey's law, eligibility requires someone to have been resident for at least 12 months, to have a voluntary, settled and informed wish to end their own life, and to be terminally ill with a life expectancy of six months, or 12 months if they have a neurodegenerative disease. In contrast to the Bill at Westminster, which states the terminally ill adult must take an approved substance themselves, the Jersey legislation would allow a doctor or registered nurse to administer the lethal drugs.
Campaigners in favour of legalising assisted dying hope a service can be in place in Jersey by the end of summer 2027. But Alex Allinson, who is behind the Isle of Man's legislation, has expressed concern at the lengthy delay his Bill has faced in gaining royal assent, cautioning that 'a lot of work' is still needed before a service is up and running.
A UK Government spokesperson said the length of processing time 'depends on the complexities and sensitivities of a Bill, as well as any legal and constitutional issues'. There is no target time for Whitehall to process legislation approved in Douglas, and Dr Allinson told the Press Association the lack of deadline is 'interesting'.
