Mrs Lockhart, who is Chair of the All Party Pro-Life Group, said:

“Society should focus on protecting life at all stages, even when life is at its most challenging.

This is all the more important to protect those more vulnerable members of society who may look to assisted suicide as a way out. Assisted dying is also presented all too often as a simple and easy solution, and its introduction in any form will inevitably see the first demands to widen access regardless of any criteria put in place.

We need to make clear that the primary objective of our healthcare system is to protect life, to heal and to improve the quality of life of everyone, whatever illness they face. Our focus instead should be on improving palliative care, allowing the terminally ill to die with true dignity.”