The leader of the Commons has assured MPs that a review of UK's electoral systems will take place.

The comments came despite recent media reports that Cabinet heavyweights had blocked a plan put together by constitutional affairs secretary Lord Falconer for the Labour manifesto commitment to be met.

But Peter Hain told the Commons on Thursday that the issue of whether Westminster elections should switch to proportional representation will be addressed.

In the light of the reports, Labour backbencher Anne Campbell asked him when the inquiry would be unveiled.

"My right honourable friend will recall that in the 2001 Labour Party manifesto there was a promise to review electoral systems," the Cambridge MP and PR supporter said.

"Can he tell us when he expects to make an announcement about a review?"

Preferences

To jeers from first-past-the-post fan Dennis Skinner, Hain replied that he was not himself an advocate of pure proportionality in the ratio of MPs to votes.

"There was such a promise and I agree with my honourable friend the member for Bolsover, I don't support proportional representation and have never done so," the minister said.

"I have always favoured electoral reform to introduce the alternative vote, that is my personal preference.

"But my preference is not government policy. As she knows we did have a manifesto commitment that we are going to do a review and that will be forthcoming."

Labour promised the inquiry in its 2001 manifesto having reneged on a deal to offer a referendum on PR in its first term in power.

Earlier this month Lord Falconer was reported to have put to the Cabinet a proposal for the review, to be conducted in-house by his department, with the title, terms of reference, membership and timetable all thought to have been drawn up.

It was set to take into account last year's Scottish and Welsh elections, which use an additional member system, and June's European polls, which were conducted under a closed list.

However deputy prime minister John Prescott and health secretary John Reid were understood to have led a Cabinet rebellion, with support from home secretary David Blunkett and foreign secretary Jack Straw.