The government is set to push through radical reform of the parliamentary hours in a move which will halt late night sittings.

Under plans drawn up by Robin Cook, the Commons leader, the House of Commons will stop sitting at 7.00pm three nights a week.

The move is being seen as an attempt to make the Commons more "family friendly".

Ministers also hope the change, to be put to MPs later this year, will help boost media coverage of Commons business.

MPs currently gather in the chamber at 2.30pm, and sit through until at least 10.30pm.

As a result of newspaper deadlines late night debates often go unreported by Westminster's press corps.

Cook's proposals, which are said to have the backing of the prime minister, will see the Commons kicking off at 11.30am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The Liberal Democrats have welcomed the proposals, saying they should help parliament "capture the attention of the public again".

"We have got to make sure that out proceedings fit within the media timetable," said Lib Dem MP Paul Tyler.

"The days when reporters sat in our press gallery all evening, and sometimes all night, to write lengthy accounts for the posh papers and a limited audience have long gone.

Tyler argues that the change in sitting times should ensure that "government ministers come to parliament first, rather than give preference to press conferences and media interviews".

But the plans are said to be meeting with resistance from some senior ministers.

Chief whip Hilary Armstrong is said to be opposed to the move, which would also result in the prime minister holding his weekly question and answer session before lunchtime.

Other critics say the plan fails to take account of the fact that the vast majority of MPs cannot travel back to their constituencies at night.

Said one: "If parliament calls time at 7.00pm we're going to have several hundred MPs, mostly male, wandering the streets of London with nothing to do of an evening. It won't be good for discipline and it won't be good for Members in the long run either."