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House of Commons Ten Minute Rule Bill — on Organ Donation and Presumed consent

Health Select Committee Member Siobhan McDonagh MP (Lab, Mitcham and Morden) has tabled a Ten Minute Rule Bill on organ donation and presumed consent. Although it is realised that the Bill has limited chance of making any progress it does illustrate that there is parliamentary interest in and support for presumed consent.

The purpose of the Bill is to provide for the removal of organs for transplantation purposes, after death has been confirmed in a person aged 16 or over, except where a potential donor previously registered an objection or where a close relative objects.

Other supporters of the Bill include David Cairns (Lab, Greenock and Inverclyde) Tom Watson (Lab, West Bromwich East) Laura Moffatt (Lab, Crawley) Stephen Pound (Lab, Ealing North) Tam Dalyell (Lab, Linlithgow) Alistair Carmichael (Lib Dem, Orkney and Shetland) Kenneth Clarke (Con, Rushcliffe) Dr. Evan Harris (Lib Dem, Oxford West and Abingdon) John Austin (Lab, Erith and Thamesmead) Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside) and Dr. Nick Palmer (Lab, Broxtowe).

Conservative MP for Spelthorne, David Wilshire, is opposing the Bill because of “serious anxieties about presumed consent”.

To read the debate in full, please follow the link below.

Commons Hansard:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/cm040203/debtext/40203-11.htm#40203-11_head0