A Bill to provide for an organ donation scheme based upon presumed consent; to make provision in relation to safeguards for such a scheme; and for connected purposes.
The aim of the Bill is to introduce a presumption that consent has been given for the donation of organs for transplantation unless the person who has died has previously registered an objection to this. Exceptions to this presumption would be made onlyif the person’s spouse, partner, parent or child could provide information that the person had expressed an objection to organ donation that had not been registeredif proceeding with the donation would cause distress to the person’s spouse, partner, parent or child.The Bill would establish a register of persons who object to their organs being used for transplantation, and would impose a requirement for the register to be consulted before any transplantations took place.The Bill would also provide that organs could not be removed for transplantation unless two registered medical practitioners had certified the death.
House of Commons
18 November 2009
The Bill would switch organ donation to a presumed consent system, meaning people would be treated as willing to donate their organs after death unless they have registered an objection. It would create a national register of objections and require it to be checked before any donation proceeds; families could still raise unregistered objections or indicate that donation would distress them, and two doctors would need to certify death before organs are removed.
The Bill is at the Second Reading stage in the House of Commons, the initial stage of parliamentary consideration.
Generated 21 February 2026
The Bill was debated at Second Reading on 13 March. The Bill was still being debated at the end of the day's session and so the debate was adjourned.
The debate was completed on 19 June and the Bill is currently waiting for a date to begin its consideration in a public bill committee.
N.B. This Bill will make no further progress as the 2008-09 Session of Parliament has ended.
No recorded votes for this bill yet.
