Overview
- Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and cross‑party MSPs say safeguards remain insufficient after committee scrutiny, citing risks of coercion and inequality.
- The bill advanced with 74 approved amendments from nearly 300 proposed, including a minimum age of 18 and a new offence for coercing someone to take the life‑ending substance.
- Eligibility requires at least 12 months’ residency in Scotland and registration with a Scottish medical practice, according to the bill’s sponsor Liam McArthur.
- The Scottish proposal defines terminal illness without a six‑month expected‑death limit, unlike the England and Wales plan, prompting warnings about potential cross‑border moves.
- A final Holyrood vote is expected early in 2026, while the England and Wales bill is delayed in the House of Lords with more than 1,100 amendments tabled.