3am finish in Lords AV debate
The House of Lords rose at 3.04 am today, as peers debated the bill which paves the way for a referendum on the voting system and cuts the number of MPs.
Shadow justice minister Lord Falconer warned the government had "absolutely no prospect" of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill reaching the statute book by February 16.
The flagship coalition bill needs to be passed by the February date for the May 5 referendum to take place as the Electoral Commission has ruled that it needs three months to prepare for the vote.
The 11th day of committee stage debate, which got under way just before 4pm yesterday, ended five hours after the usual 10pm finishing time in the upper chamber.
Peers will now return to the committee stage of the bill issue next week on Monday and Wednesday, when ministers hope it will be concluded.
Business in the Commons begins with questions to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and his ministerial team.
Topics will cover tourism, News Corporation's proposed takeover of BSkyB, the economic legacy of the London 2012 and the roll-out of community broadband.
MPs will then put questions to Commons leader Sir George Young, followed by representatives of the House of Commons Commission.
Sir George will then outline the forthcoming parliamentary business in the Commons.
The future funding of the horse racing industry will then be debated by MPs, on a backbench business motion. The topic was proposed by Conservative MP Matthew Hancock.
Labour MP Diane Abbott will lead the adjournment debate on the effect of air passenger duty changes on the Caribbean.
In the upper chamber, peers will set questions to the government on import restrictions affecting Gaza, bus and coach passenger rights and UK assistance to St Lucia after Hurricane Tomas.
Peers are then set to debate the constitutional and parliamentary effects of coalition government.
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