Should old die for sake of young?

The Reverend Maxwell Craig's comments were branded misguided

A senior Church of Scotland minister has questioned the wisdom of spending large amounts of money keeping older people alive.

The Reverend Maxwell Craig, 76, feels funding could be better spent helping the young stay out of trouble.

He believes that people over 75 would often prefer to die, rather than live a "half-life" with reduced physical and mental abilities.

Help the Aged has called the comments "misguided."

Mr Craig, who lives in Stirling, is Extra Chaplain to the Queen in Scotland and past convener of the Church of Scotland's church and nation committee.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, he called for a debate among doctors and society about whether there is justice in the way funding is allocated between the generations.

He said: "I want them to be really thinking about what they do in order to produce a couple more years when probably that is not what people want.

"My belief is that there is a right time for all of us to die.

"To try to increase that by a tiny amount, which nevertheless is done at great expense and the use of hospitals and so on, is it worth it? Is that what we really want?"

Mr Craig has spent six years on the visiting committee at Polmont Young Offenders Institution and believes those are the type of young people on which society should be spending its money.

It is important to recognise that in modern day Scotland everyone is entitled to exactly the same treatment regardless of age Lindsay Scott Help the Aged

He said he would like to see more funding for social workers to help youngsters when they leave the institution.

However, Help the Aged told the BBC Scotland news website that older people should not be denied full and proper healthcare.

Spokesman Lindsay Scott said: "It seems to me that he's advocating basically euthanasia, that if you need medical treatment or intervention then nothing should be done because these resources should rather go to the young.

"It is important to recognise that in modern-day Scotland everyone is entitled to exactly the same treatment regardless of age.

"Many older people, with a bit of help, continue to lead exceedingly fulfilling and very productive lives.

"Why should this be denied them?"