The Chancellor repeatedly dodged questions on whether taxpayers would foot the whole bill for the service if it becomes law
Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaks to members of the media after a tour of M (Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Rachel Reeves has refused to say if she will have to make government cuts to help pay for assisted dying to be legalised in the UK.
The Chancellor insisted she does not expect there to be “higher costs on the public purse” from implementing the service for the terminally ill.
But she repeatedly dodged questions as to whether MPs should know if assisted dying will be free at the point of use before it is next debated in parliament.
History was made last month when MPs voted to allow a proposed law on assisted dying to progress to the next stage in Parliament.
They backed the bill by 330 to 275, marking a major victory for the Daily Express’s Give Us Our Last Rights crusade which calls for a change in the law.
History was made last month when MPs voted to allow a proposed law on assisted dying to progress (Image: Getty)
The Bill was put forward as a Private Members’ Bill by Labour’s Kim Leadbeater. It now faces detailed scrutiny in committee stage – the next parliamentary step – with MPs calling witnesses.
Civil servants are also developing an impact assessment which will consider how many people are likely to take up the service each year, as well as the effect on the NHS and courts, since doctors and judges will be required to consider applications.
Asked if if she would have to cut other services to pay for assisted dying if it becomes law, Ms Reeves told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I am not convinced that assisted dying is going to result in higher costs on the public purse, but that bill, that private members bill, which the government is neutral on is going through Parliament at the moment, and we’ll have scrutiny as part of the Committee stage that will be beginning shortly.”
Pressed on the costs involved, including doctors time, drugs, space in hospitals and whether she wanted it fully covered by taxpayers money, she added: “Well there will be scrutiny now of this private members bill as it goes through the parliamentary process including assessments of any costs associated with it. But this is a once in a generation opportunity for members of parliament to vote for something.”
Asked five more times if public money should be spent on implementing the service and whether MPs should know this before it progresses through parliament, she said: “The bill will go through Parliament in it’s proper way.
“This government remains neutral on the issue. I considered the evidence and I voted for it at second reading, but that now will go through the scrutiny that private members bills do.
“There will now be a proper scrutiny of the legislation, including government analysis. But it’s right that members of parliament are able to vote on this issue of conscience.”
Ms Reeves’ remarks came as she promised to use an “iron fist” to squeeze government waste with Whitehall departments having to find savings of 5%.
The Chancellor and Treasury Chief Secretary Darren Jones have begun work on a sweeping multi-year spending review which will be published in 2025.
Ms Reeves said she had “no doubt” departments would be able to identify the necessary savings so spending could instead be focused on the Government’s priorities.
But the Treasury acknowledged that would inevitably mean “difficult” decisions – suggesting the axe would fall in areas which were not part of Sir Keir Starmer’s “missions” for government.
Visiting a Kent hospital on Tuesday, the Chancellor said: “I have no doubt that we can find efficiency savings within Government spending of 5% and I’m determined to do so.
“Because it’s through finding those efficiency savings that we will have the money to spend on the priorities of the British people.
“So part of this spending review will be cracking down on waste, cracking down on non-priority spending, so that we can focus on the issues – whether that is improving living standards, ensuring our streets are safe, or indeed reducing waiting times in the NHS.
“Those are the people’s priorities, and that is what we will be focusing on in the spending review.”
Every pound of departmental spending would face a “line-by-line review”, with external experts brought in to scrutinise budgets.
Launching the next phase of the review, Ms Reeves said: “The previous government allowed millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to go to waste on poor-value-for-money projects.
“We will not tolerate it; I said I would have an iron grip on the public finances and that means taking an iron fist against waste.”
Under the Treasury’s plans, departments will ensure budgets are examined by “challenge panels” of experts including former bosses from Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays Bank and the Co-operative Group.
These panels, which would also involve think tanks, academics and the private sector, would advise on which spending “is or isn’t necessary”, the ministry said.
Shadow Treasury chief secretary Richard Fuller said: “Delivering value for money for the taxpayer is a noble goal, but Rachel Reeves’s record so far has been to dole out inflation-busting pay rises to Labour’s union paymasters whilst mandating nothing in return, and making no reforms to public sector productivity or welfare spending.”
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