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The government has been challenged over the cost of reviewing constituency boundaries and holding a referendum on the use of the alternative vote (AV) system at Westminster.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg announced this month that a referendum on replacing first-past-the-post Westminster elections with AV will be held on May 5 next year.
During Lords question time, Labour peer Lord Grocott said ministers had failed to mention how much the referendum and the review would cost.
He asked: "How can he possibly be quite precise about the savings but not have the remotest idea of what the costs will be?"
In response, Lord Grocott said "We need to know the figures and I think we're entitled to know the figures, and it should be possible for the government to give them to us."
Justice minister Lord McNally said the costs of the referendum would be "similar to that of a general election" while the cost of the boundary review would be dependant on its remit.
"When I say we will have to look at the precise proposals of the boundary commission, the last boundary commission cost just under £14m," he said.
"I point out that legislation will be brought forward very shortly and, at that time and thereafter, the House will have ample time to explore these matters, including the costs."
The justice minister reiterated that the coalition was "committed" to constitutional reform and that legislation would be brought before the chamber for peers to examine.
Conservative peer Earl Ferrers prompted some cheers when he said thee estimated £80m cost of a referendum on the voting system was a "complete waste of money".
He said: "In view of the coalition government's desire to save public money at every possible opportunity, would you not agree that an expenditure of the amount you referred to is a complete waste of money and nobody understands the alternative voting system nor any of the other proportional representation systems?"
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