Peers suggest over 900 changes to assisted dying bill

Members of the House of Lords have put forward more than 900 proposed changes to the law to deliver assisted dying, ahead of a debate on Friday.

Experts believe the number of amendments, which is understood to be 942, is unprecedented, but opponents say significant alterations are needed to ensure any scheme can operate safely.

The volume of amendments has sparked a letter from 65 supportive peers to their colleagues in the Lords, raising concern about possible delaying tactics.

Those opposing the bill have been urged not to "frustrate" the passage of the legislation, which has already gained the approval of MPs.

The House of Commons passed the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in June, and it passed its first stage in the Lords in September.

An amendment by Labour's Baroness Berger was approved to allow a committee of peers to scrutinise the legislation further.

The wider House of Lords will now carry out line-by-line examination of the bill.

Parliament heard officials worked into the early hours of Thursday morning to compile the suggested changes to the bill that flooded in ahead of the next scrutiny stage, known as committee stage, which begins on Friday.

There appear to be seven opponents to the bill who have submitted 579 amendments between them.

According to the parliamentary authorities, while some bills have had more amendments tabled in total at committee stage, it sets a possible record for the number submitted in the first full list of suggested changes.

They say it is almost certainly unprecedented for the committee stage of this type of bill, known as a private member's bill, which has been put forward by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater rather than the government.

Experts including Matthew England, a researcher at the Hansard Society, said the number of amendments "does appear to be a record, at least in the recent past".

Others drew comparisons to the bill to take the UK out of the European Union, which had 820 amendments in total.

Sign up for our Politics Essential newsletter to read top political analysis, gain insight from across the UK and stay up to speed with the big moments. It'll be delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.