Treasury has not conducted an assessment of how much introducing an assisted dying service would cost.
Political member Dr Michelle Haywood confirmed this to MHKs in this week’s Keys sitting.
Responding to a question from Douglas Central MHK Chris Thomas, Dr Haywood said it “has not undertaken any work to determine the estimated costs of operating an assisted dying service”.
She added that it would be “difficult and speculative to consider the cost implications before the provisions of the bill have been finalized and the details were fully understood”.
Under the Treasury Act, agreement is needed before seeking leave to introduce a bill into either Keys or LegCo where the bill involves costing taxpayer money or would lose the government income.
‘Intriguing’
However, Dr Haywood said: “At the time, Dr Allinson, MHK, in his private capacity, sought leave from Key to introduce the bill, the policy formulation was at an early stage and it was not clear that the bill would involve an increase in the expenditure of public monies when the bill was drafted.”
She added that as the implications remained unclear, Treasury had given the go-ahead, on the condition that it be further consulted before an appointed day motion is brought forward.
Mr Thomas asked if this meant that explanatory memo of the Assisted Dying Bill, which says that it involves an increase in expenditure, is “effectively false and unfortunately thus misleading as the Treasury no idea of the costs”?
However the Rushen MHK said that until the bill is finalised it won’t be clear what the potential costs or savings could be, meaning Treasury can’t be sure of any figures.
Describing the events as “intriguing”, Mr Thomas said that evidence from Canada suggested that there can be savings due to a drop in care bills when the service is introduced, leading Dr Haywood to say that this proved it is too early to say whether a service would cost or save money.
Responding to a question from Onchan MHK Julie Edge, Dr Haywood confirmed Dr Allinson had not played any part in Treasury agreeing to allow the bill to progress to this stage by delegating that responsibility to then member Sarah Maltby (Douglas South).
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