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End-of-life bill decision 'wrong' End-of-life bill decision 'wrong'
(about 2 hours later)
The Scottish government has branded a decision to set up a special Holyrood committee to look at proposals to legalise assisted suicide as "wrong". The Scottish government has branded as "wrong" a move to set up a special Holyrood committee to look at proposals to legalise assisted suicide.
Independent MSP Margo MacDonald brought forward a bill which would allow terminally ill people to seek help to die at a time of their choosing. MSP Margo MacDonald's End-of-Life Assistance Bill would allow terminally ill people to seek help to die.
The bill was expected to have been considered by the health committee. The bill had been expected to go before the health committee, but Holyrood's business bureau decided it should be considered by a separate committee.
But Holyrood's business bureau decided a separate committee should look at the End-of-Life Assistance Bill. Ms MacDonald described the move as "a piece of nonsense".
It is understood the bureau made its decision by voting 4-3 against the wishes of Parliament Minister Bruce Crawford.It is understood the bureau made its decision by voting 4-3 against the wishes of Parliament Minister Bruce Crawford.
"The decision was the wrong decision, said a spokesman for Mr Crawford, adding: "It sets an unfortunate precedent. A spokesman for Mr Crawford said it was "the wrong decision", adding: "It sets an unfortunate precedent.
"This bill deal with matters of conscience and should be dealt with by the normal subject committee.""This bill deal with matters of conscience and should be dealt with by the normal subject committee."
Ms MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease, said she was hopeful of gaining enough support for the bill. Ms MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease, told BBC Scotland the membership of the cross-party health committee had been chosen prior to her bill being introduced and included two doctors, who had each come down on either side of the argument.
MSPs are expected to vote on it for the first time in the autumn, with the legislation decided in a "free vote", rather than along party lines. She said: "When I asked why was it not going to the health committee, I was told it's got morality in it.
"Every time time we cast a vote in here there should be morality in it - so that's a spurious reason."