Jersey has cleared the final constitutional hurdle in its bid to introduce assisted dying, after its legislation received Royal Assent.
It will allow the island’s new service to begin operating on schedule late next year.
Work to establish the framework has already been under way, with recruitment now open for key clinical and administrative roles.
Senator Tom Binet, Minister for Health and Social Services, said the approval marked a pivotal moment for the island.
Get The Service Up & Running
“I’m delighted the assisted dying law has been granted Royal Assent. Our focus now is on continuing our work to get the service set up and running,” he said.
“There is still a lot of work to do, but I’ve every confidence that we can do it within the schedule we set ourselves.”
“Assisted dying is a complex and emotive issue, and I’m grateful to everyone who’s worked so hard to ensure we considered this so thoroughly and produced such comprehensive legislation.”
Isle of Man Still Awaiting Approval
While Jersey moves ahead, the Isle of Man’s Assisted Dying Bill remains in constitutional limbo.
On June 16, Tynwald approved a series of amendments aimed at satisfying UK concerns over human rights compliance, a necessary step before the Ministry of Justice will consider recommending Royal Assent.
The amendments, brought forward by Dr Alex Allinson, passed by 16 votes to six in the House of Keys and five to one in the Legislative Council.
The bill now returns to the Ministry of Justice for further scrutiny.
Dr Allinson said the changes were designed to reinforce safeguards rather than reopen previous debates.
“These amendments are necessary to give effect to the bill this honourable court already passed over a year ago,” he said. “They are not designed to reopen the many debates that we have previously had, but instead strengthen the safeguards we have all supported.”
Revisions
The revisions respond to concerns raised by the Ministry of Justice, which in April declined to recommend the bill for Royal Assent, citing incomplete compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly principles established in the Mortier v Belgium case.
In correspondence to the Manx government, the UK’s Lord Chancellor acknowledged the island’s assurances around independent monitoring, coercion safeguards and decision‑making capacity, but said these commitments “do not form part of the Bill”.
“It is therefore the UK Government’s view that these matters must be addressed directly on the face of the Bill to comply with the European Convention on Human Rights,” the letter stated. “It is on this basis that the Ministry of Justice is unable to recommend the Bill for Royal Assent at this time.”
Even if approved, the Isle of Man’s legislation would still require secondary regulations and codes of practice before coming into force.
