A proposed Bill to allow assisted dying has attracted more public responses than any other in the history of the Scottish Parliament.
Liam McArthur ’s private bill is understood to have inspired more than 10,000 people to voice their opinions on the emotive subject.
The responses will be published later this year and a free vote at Holyrood could see Scotland become the first in the UK to adopt the controversial option to end life early for people of sound mind, who are close to death and suffering immense pain.
Lib Dem MSP McArthur said all indications are that the bill has received more responses than any other Private Member’s Bill.
He said: “The scale of the public response to the consultation on my proposed bill has been extraordinary.
“It’s clear that assisted dying reform is important to people across Scotland, many of whom have taken the time to tell me about their own experience and how it has shaped their view on the choices dying people should have at the end of their lives.
“The submissions I received are now being processed but it does appear that the consultation has set a new record for the number of responses to proposals for a Private Member’s Bill.”
McArthur added: “It is important in the interests of drafting the best bill possible that all the necessary checks and analysis of responses now take place and that will take a bit of time.
" I look forward to reporting back more fully when this is complete and to bringing forward an Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill to the Parliament.”
The Daily Record has told of several people who believe they or family members are being forced to die in agony due to the rights afforded in places like Switzerland not being available in Scotland or the UK.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Parliament said: “The Parliament is currently processing and verifying the responses to the consultation. Once this has been done, the responses and a summary will be published.
“This is in line with standard practice for Member’s Bills. We would expect that to happen later this year.”
Campaigner Alyson Johnston, director of Dignity in Dying Scotland, said: “Scots from all across the country have responded to the consultation telling of their own painful personal experiences.
“It is clear that a tipping point has been reached and we can’t ignore the injustice and hurt caused by the blanket ban on assisted dying any longer.
“MSPs will have the chance to give our dying citizens what they need and what the majority of us want - excellent care and the choice of an assisted death, when Liam McArthur’s bill comes before Parliament.”
MSP Liam McArthur’s Assisted Dying Bill strictly applies to adults who are both terminally ill and mentally competent, with two doctors required to sign off criteria. The person making the request would have to sign a written declaration, to be followed by a “period of reflection”.
Among those to support the bill so far are SNP MSP Elena Whittam, whose mum Irene starved herself to hasten her own tortuous death.
The previous record response to a Scottish private bill was Greens MSP Alison Johnstone’s consultation on a new law to clamp down on hunting foxes and hares.
