Downing Street has denied that the government is planning to downgrade the Queen's role at Westminster by merging the parliamentary sessions into a single four or five year term.

A spokesman for the prime minister flatly dismissed the suggestion - which is thought to be contained in a reform blueprint drawn up by Commons leader Peter Hain.

The leaked proposals would restrict the opposition's ability to "talk out" legislation and give the whip hand to government business managers.

By merging the sessions ministers would have four or five years to secure the safe passage of controversial bills.

The proposals, which have been flatly denied by Number 10, would also have swept away the pomp and ceremony of the Queen's Speech.

Such a move would have been strongly resisted by members of the Royal household.

Constitutional affairs minister Lord Falconer also denied the accuracy of the reports.

"There are no plans to abolish that [the Queen's Speech]. There are no plans to not have sessions," he said.

Falconer went on to describe plans to curtail the Commons' powers to talk-out legislation as "completely inaccurate".

But he did say that the government wanted to streamline the process of legislation.

"We would like to see the parliamentary procedures improved, obviously, to make, for example, the repetition of speeches much less, for there to be clearer arrangements how each bill is dealt with. But there are no plans to downgrade the role of the Commons," he added.