A controversial Bill which would allow terminal ill people to be helped to die by physicians is being debated in the House of Lords today. This is how the special interest groups, physicians and religions line up, for and against the legislation.

FOR

Dignity in Dying

- Promotes patient choice for the end of life, independent of any political or religious organisation. Represents the elderly, disabled and medical professionals under one umbrella organisation.

- YouGov survey for the group found that 76 per cent were in favour of assisted dying as long as there were safeguards in place.

- Deborah Annetts, chief executive: "The public is being massively turned off by this week’s well-funded demonstration of religious opposition against a Bill they clearly support. Even with the high quality of our palliative care, some people still want this option."

National Secular Society

- Fights against what it calls the "extreme religious influence in our government, lawmakers and public institutions".

- Believes the Bill commands a high level of public support and religious leaders opposing it represent an abuse of the democratic process.

- Keith Porteous Wood, executive director: "These current proposals are much less radical than earlier Bills, allowing competent adults with terminal diseases to self-administer end-of-life medication rather for medical practitioners to do so.

"We will be reverting to the situation in the Middle Ages if the Church is allowed in effect to veto legislation, especially legislation that has significant public support."

AGAINST

Care Not Killing

- Represents more than 30 charities and health care groups and aims to ensure that existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide are not weakened in Parliament.

- The group has warned that the Bill would put the old and sick under intolerable pressure to end their lives due in part to the severe pressures on health and long term care services.

- Campaign director Dr Peter Saunders: "Against this background of popular dissent, we believe it is right that the House of Lords should pass judgement by holding a vote at second reading and halting moves to legalise euthanasia in the UK. It is time to take a stand against this grossly misguided measure."

Royal College of Psychiatry

- Says there has been no public debate about the mental health issues relevant to the Bill.

- Recently published a document that explores the role of the psychiatrist in deciding whether someone is competent to make a decision about their death and the importance of diagnosing and offering to treat depression and suicidal feelings which can accompany terminal illness.

- College President Professor Sheila Hollins: "People must be properly assessed , not only to establish whether they have capacity, but also to understand the motivation behind their decision to die. A vital part of a psychiatrist's role is to understand the motivation behind a wish to die, and to help the person to recover hope."

Royal College of Physicians

- The Council of the Royal College of Physicians concurs with the Royal College of General Practitioners that it cannot support legal change at the present time.

- However, a significant minority support a change in law and says there remain many shortcomings in palliative care. A poll by the college shows 73 per cent of its members are against any change in law.

- College statement: "As previously stated, irrespective of whether the present Bill is enacted or not, it should be seen as a further signal to campaign for better care for dying patients. This should include an extension of palliative care services and more discussion of end of life issues in the face of changing values, ethnic diversity and technological advance."

Royal College of Nursing

- Represents nurses and nursing.

- Against euthanasia and assisted suicide and believes the practice of euthanasia is contrary to the public interest, nursing and medical principles and patients civil rights.

- Opposed to any legislation which would place responsibility on nurses and other medical staff to respond to a demand for termination of life from any patient suffering terminal illness

Religous leaders

- Oppose the Bill

- Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Murphy O’Connor: "I think first of all one should treat the pain and not kill the patient. There will come a situation where people will feel that not only I have a right to die, there will be other people who feel I have a duty to die. This is the danger when you start on this."

- Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams: "Whether or not you believe that God enters into the consideration, it remains true that to specify even in the fairly broad terms of this Bill conditions under which it would be both reasonable and legal to end your life, is to say that certain kinds of life are not worth living.

Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks: "The Jewish tradition, going back many centuries, is strongly opposed to such acts. Life is sacred. It is God's gift, not ours. It is the physician's responsibility to heal, not harm, even if the patient requests it."

Disability Rights Commission

- independent body established to stop discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for disabled people.

- Opposed to legislation of assisted dying at least until high-quality palliative care is available to all patients, allowing them to consider their position free of the fear of unbearable pain.

- A spokesman said: "If you legislate for the right to kill, you will jeopardise the right to live."

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