THE CHOICE TO DIE AT HOME

Early day motion 470, tabled 11 January 2005 by Tony Wright (Labour). Signed by 172 members.

That this House believes that every terminally ill patient who chooses to die at home should be given the opportunity to do so; congratulates Marie Curie Cancer Care on its campaign Supporting the Choice to Die at Home; notes the survey commissioned by the charity from YouGov that found 64 per cent. of Britons would choose to die at home but at present only 25 per cent. of terminally ill patients are able to do so and therefore most die in hospital; further notes the economic paper commissioned by the charity which shows that caring for more patients at home would release funds which could be used elsewhere in the NHS; highlights the recent conclusion of the Health Select Committee that the right to a good death is fundamental; welcomes Marie Currie Cancer Care's Delivering Choice Programme which has launched a project to improve end of life care in Lincolnshire; and urges the Government to partner Marie Curie Cancer Care in order to establish similar projects in other English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to commit funds to make this possible.

Signatures by party: Labour 88, Conservative 32, Liberal Democrat 32, Labour/Co-operative 7, Plaid Cymru 4, Scottish National Party 4, UUP 3, DUP 2.