COURTS should make the decision on whether to grant an assisted death, a top barrister told Parliament today.

As peers continue their line-by-line scrutiny of the controversial legislation, Lord Carlile of Berriew argued a court-based process would “provide confidence-inspiring judgment in this important and difficult new area of the law.”

But another leading KC, Lord Pannick, said the court backlog means this would “build in delays” for people who have less than six months to live and that the decision-making panel set out in the Bill is preferable, due to the “range of expertise” it provides.

It comes after a call for extra time to consider the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was backed by peers on Thursday.

For the Bill to become law, both the House of Commons and the Lords must agree on its final drafting — with approval needed before spring, when the current session of Parliament ends.

If passed, it would allow people with terminal illnesses in England and Wales who have less than six months to live to apply for an assisted death.