What happens next to bill on assisted dying?

There will also have to be a money resolution to authorise any spending the bill would require. Only the government can table money resolutions.

The government might decide to intervene in the parliamentary process to change some of the normal procedures that apply to PMBs from now on – for example to allow more Commons time at report stage.

But so far it has not indicated it is planning to do this.

A PMB’s committee would not normally have the power to call in experts to give evidence, but MPs approved a motion straight after Friday’s main vote to allow it to do so.

PMBs do not have timetabled committee sessions, potentially giving extra time to examine the legislation.

The prime minister, who voted for the bill, has said a government impact assessment will be carried out and published as the bill proceeds.

Another issue is that the ministers who heads the two main departments that would have to implement the legislation – Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood – were among the MPs who opposed the bill on Friday.

All bills must complete their parliamentary stages by the end of the year’s parliamentary session. These are not set in stone.

Report stage onwards needs to take place during the Friday sessions set aside for PMBs, and can run only from 25 April.

In practical terms, that means the committee stage needs to be completed quite quickly to leave sufficient time for the remaining stages of the bill to take place.

A particular risk to the bill’s passage could be at report stage where, if many amendments are tabled, Parliament could run out of time to debate them all.

Throughout the parliamentary process, lobbying from both sides will continue to shore up support and change MPs’ minds, in time for the final vote.