The Scottish Bishops’ conference has warned a parliamentary committee of the “chilling” economic incentives that could result in assisted suicide and euthanasia becoming law.

MSP Liam McArthur, introduced a bill earlier this year that would allow terminally ill adults in Scotland to lawfully request assistance to end their own lives.

Responding to the proposed legislation, the bishops highlighted that even the Bill itself admits that assisted suicide has an economic advantage in terms of being cheaper than measures such as palliative care.

“This [concern] is supported by claims in Mr. McArthur’s proposal for a Bill, which chillingly conceded that it is cheaper to end life than to provide care,” the bishops said in their submission to the committee. “The focus must be on providing care, not providing a cheap death.”

They added: “Palliative care is an authentic expression of the human activity of providing care, the tangible symbol of the compassionate remaining at the side of the suffering person,” while concluding that the proposed legislation “to be blunt, provides a quick, cheap alternative to palliative care”.