The assisted dying bill was debated for almost five hours in the House of Lords yesterday as peers consider more than 900 amendments to the legislation.

Campaigners who want the law to be changed to allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live to be able to end their lives, fear the legislation risks running out of time before the Spring when the current Parliamentary session ends. The group Dignity in Dying said "the risk of deliberate time-wasting is clear and profoundly unfair".

However, during the debate - Day One of Committee Stage - some peers described the legislation as "demonstrably flawed' and said they could only support the Bill if it is “legislatively fit to be passed”.

It had been expected peers would debate 10 groups of amendments yesterday, but only two were discussed.

In a statement, Right To Life UK said 47 peers made speeches during the debate, with 34 of those (72 per cent) opposing the Bill. 13 peers who spoke (28 per cent) were in favour of the Bill.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill can only become law if it is agreed by both chambers of Parliament.

The Archbishop of Canterbury designate Rt Rev Dame Sarah Mullally, who sits in the House of Lords has previously said she will vote against any change to the law on assisted dying.