The government has revealed the question it would ask the electorate in a euro referendum.

Ministers unveiled the wording when publishing the draft Single European Currency (Referendum) Bill on Wednesday.

Voters would be asked "Should the United Kingdom adopt the euro as its currency?" in any poll on joining the eurozone.

The phrasing follows guidelines produced by the Electoral Commission.

The bill also confirmed that the question would only be put to the public after both the Cabinet and both Houses of Parliament recommended entry.

Draft legislation was published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) to coincide with the chancellor's pre-Budget report to MPs.

Gordon Brown had promised a paving bill before the end of the year in his euro statement in the Commons in June.

The plans outline the legal steps that would be required to take Britain into the currency. But critics have dismissed it as a sop to pro-euro campaigners.

Ministers are not expected to recommend entry before the next general election - meaning there is no urgent need for the legislation.

The draft bill will give MPs and peers the opportunity to scrutinise the proposals and campaigners hope it will also stimulate debate on the merits of entry.

The DCA recommend that the vote would mirror the 1975 referendum on EEC membership.

Unlike in general elections, peer would be allowed to vote but otherwise the electorate would be the same.

However no minimum turnout has been proposed for the poll.

The government is officially committed to a "prepare and decide" policy on the referendum.

Entry will be recommended by the government when the Treasury's five economic tests for the euro have been met.

In June the chancellor judged that just one of the five hurdles had been cleared.

In next Spring's Budget the chancellor will say whether the tests should be re-run during this parliament.

The Conservatives accused the government of trying to "bury bad news" under the chancellor's statement.

They also claimed the question was in breach of the Electoral Commission guidelines.

"It makes no mention that the pound would be replaced if people vote 'yes'," constitutional affairs spokesman Alan Duncan said.

"A fair question would make clear the implications for our existing national currency.

"The government are using sleight of hand to hide a euro referendum fix."