Neil Gray ‘sorry and frustrated’ to miss assisted dying vote after hospital stay

Health secretary Neil Gray has said he is “sorry and frustrated” to miss the final vote on the assisted dying bill after being admitted to hospital.

The father of four was admitted to St John’s Hospital in Livingston on Monday night and has since been released, but is unable to join in today’s parliamentary session.

Mental wellbeing minister Tom Arthur will deputise for Gray, who has been leading for the Scottish Government on the bill, which was introduced by Liam McArthur of the Liberal Democrats.

In a statement, Gray, a former MP, expressed his thanks to all staff at the West Lothian hospital, as well as NHS24 call handlers and nursing staff, for his “exceptional care”.

He said: “I am deeply proud every day to be able to work closely with our hard-working NHS staff and I am thankful for the kind and compassionate care I have received from everyone I have encountered in our NHS. My experience in the last 24 hours has only solidified a fact I already knew – that our dedicated doctors, nurses, clinicians and hospital support staff are the fundamental backbone of our NHS.

“I also want to thank everyone who has sent their well wishes and I am pleased to be on the mend. I hope to be back to work later this week so that I can get back on with delivering for our health and social care services.

“Whilst I am pleased to now be discharged, I am sorry and frustrated to be missing today’s debates in parliament. I am grateful to Tom Arthur, minister for social care and mental wellbeing, for covering this afternoon’s debate on the assisted dying bill on behalf of the Scottish Government.

“We all know the huge sensitivity of the subject of assisted dying, the complexity of it, and regardless of the outcome of the vote my intention in parliament this afternoon was to thank MSPs for the sincere, passionate and respectful way they have approached these considerations. I also want to thank my officials who have advised me on an unprecedented bill before parliament. I intend to vote by proxy this afternoon and will abstain given the government has retained a neutral position throughout and, should it pass, I will continue to have a responsibility for the process remaining.”

If successful, the bill will allow terminally-ill adults resident in Scotland to request and receive help from medical professionals in ending their lives.

The bill has changed in scope since its introduction in 2024, with McArthur raising the age threshold from 16 to 18 in light of feedback.

If the legislation passes, Scotland will become the first UK nation to make assisted dying lawful.

Separate proposals for England and Wales are making their way through Westminster and though these cleared the Commons in the summer, they remain with the Lords, where delays mean the bill brought by Labour’s Kim Leadbeater may run out of parliamentary time.

However, the island of Jersey passed its own bill on the matter last month, and this is now awaiting Royal Assent.