Scotland’s parliament has passed the first stage of a bill that would allow the terminally ill to end their own lives, taking the country a step closer to joining others that have passed similar legislation on assisted dying.

There is nothing in the Bill to say they have to, nor is there anything to say they do not have to, she said, adding on the Parliament Matters podcast that this is “the best position to be in” and that nobody should be “dictating to hospices what they do and don’t do around assisted dying”.

MSPs have approved the general principles of legislation that could introduce assisted dying for terminally ill Scots in a landmark vote at Holyrood. The Scottish Parliament voted by 70 votes to 56 in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill introduced by Liberal Democrat Liam McArthur,