Convenor of the Humanist Society of Scotland (HSS), Bob Mackay said:
"The society's historic stance has been to support the right of individuals to make their own end of life choices and for them to die with dignity whilst being provided with the appropriate palliative care.

Margo’s MacDonald’s bill is a positive way forward in framing this belief in Scottish Law so we are extremely pleased that she will be our main speaker at this year’s Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) conference.”

Members of HSS, now numbering more than 5200 in Scotland, will have the opportunity to listen to Margo MacDonald’s proposals in detail and to provide a statement of support during the course of the day.

Margo MacDonald MSP said:

“I’m very grateful to the Humanist Society of Scotland for their dignified, unequivocal support. The Humanist Society’s belief in the autonomy of a person coming close to and at the end of life is one that I share. It’s also gratifying to see that HSS appreciates the efforts that we have made in the End of Life Choices Bill to guard against the exploitation of elderly people that is frequently, and quite erroneously, cited by the Bill’s opponents as a reason to oppose it”

Bob McKay added:
"Overall, we believe that a moral, ethical and humane approach to prolonged suffering is to allow the individual to determine their own fate without fear of recrimination for relatives and carers. However we strongly endorse the proposed rules in the End of Life Choices to safeguard the vulnerable and those without mental capacity.

We also endorse the establishment of a review committee to monitor the detailed working of such an Act if passed into law.

We emphasise that good palliative care for the terminally ill is the right of every citizen, and we and reject any suggestion that there is a choice to be made between such care and the right to end one’s own life.

As the secular voice for Scotland we believe that everyone should have equal rights irrespective of their belief."
The conference will also discuss other issues including equality of partnership.