Plans to ban hunting with dogs are facing further scrutiny by a committee of MSPs which had previously described them as "missing the point".

The Rural Development Committee on Tuesday started line-by-line consideration of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill. The process is likely to last several weeks and will see MSPs consider and vote on amendments to the proposed legislation.

The bill is likely to face a rough ride as committee members had already recommended last July that the bill be scrapped. The bill, being promoted by the Labour MSP for Glasgow Cathcart Mike Watson, became the first measure in the Scottish parliament that failed to receive the backing of a parliamentary committee.

The committee had questioned whether the proposed ban would succeed in ending cruelty to the animals involved, calling the evidence "inconclusive". It also said that the bill, which aims to ban hunting with dogs, was too wide-ranging and as a result it would be difficult to make it workable.

If its members continue its opposition to the bill, the first significant clash between MSPs and a parliamentary committee is likely. In September MSPs agreed to back the general principles of the bill by 84 to 34, over-ruling the criticisms of the committee. That decision forced the committee to begin its detailed consideration of the proposed ban.

The committee is left in an difficult position, having previously said the bill could not be successfully amended.

"The principle of this bill is focused on the use of dogs which, while well intentioned, misses the point that dogs can be used in both a cruel and a humane way, and are not the common factor in determining cruelty. The Committee...believed that it is difficult or impossible to amend the bill into a form which will adequately meet the aim of ending cruelty and for this reason recommends that the general principles of this bill should not be agreed to," said the committee's report on the bill.

One of the co-sponsors of the bill, the SNP's Trisha Marwick, has said it is illogical that a committee which voted against it should now have the chance to amend it. She expressed fears that the committee could seek to destroy the bill.

The bill also faces further opposition in the form of a legal challenge. Scottish Conservative MSP Ben Wallace has appealed to the Court of Session in Edinburgh for a judicial review of what he argues is the unfair help the Scottish executive is giving to Watson.

"This supposedly neutral executive seems intent on only helping one side in this debate. This is unfair to other MSPs who want to ensure that any amendments to Mike Watson's Bill would make 'good' law," said Wallace.