The deputy prime minister has signalled the government will press on with all-postal voting in the forthcoming regional assembly referendums.

Following the use of universal postal ballots in four regions in the recent European and council elections, John Prescott confirmed he was awaiting a report from the Electoral Commission on their success.

While the trials did increase turnout in the polls several scares were raised over their security and thousands of ballot papers were delivered late.

The Tories have called for the use of the system in the upcoming autumn referendums in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber should be scrapped.

But speaking in the Commons on Wednesday, Prescott accused the opposition of pre-empting the watchdog's report.

"If the Electoral Commission makes clear that the all-postal ballots are unsafe when it reports to this House, we will reconsider all-postal voting," he said.

"But until we see that report let me make clear, we will go on with the orders, we intend to have the election and we intend to put to the people in the North the chance to decide whether they want their own regional assembly."

Conservative shadow secretary Caroline Spelman said the government frontbench "is increasingly looking for the exit signs".

She warned that a determination to continue with the all-postal polls would "wreck" the referendums

Liberal Democrat spokesman Ed Davey said "the all postal ballots were extremely expensive to council tax payers".

Prescott replied that "it would be a lot cheaper not to have people to vote, but if that is the Liberals' position I do not agree with it".