Peter Hain has accepted that the government is set to lose large chunks of its legislative programme.

The Commons leader told MPs on Tuesday that the imminent election would impose severe limits on what bills would reach the statute book.

But he added that ministers still hope to get half of their outstanding legislation through parliament.

Hain said that if discussions with the Opposition parties reached a satisfactory conclusion, 16 bills will gain royal assent.

"That is more than half the programme of bills announced in the Queen's Speech. I think that will be a considerable achievement," he added.

Among the legislation set to gain approval is the Finance Bill, which is to complete all its parliamentary stages on Wednesday.

The Commons will also sit on Friday if necessary before the parliament officially comes to an end on Monday.

Shadow Commons leader Oliver Heald said his party was prepared to be "constructive" about the outstanding legislation.

"But there are a large number of bills that have not completed their normal passage and some have not been debated at all," he added.

Liberal Democrat spokesman Paul Tyler questioned why parliament was being dissolved now when the prime minister could wait another 15 months before being required to call an election.

Post-election

While the government could opt to reintroduce any of the legislation after the general election - providing it wins - ministers may prefer to focus on other measures.

These could include bringing in more affordable child care, providing for extra life long learning, banning smoking in enclosed public spaces and introducing community policing.

Time could also be taken up with a Welfare Reform Bill which will encourage those on incapacity benefits to go into work, while pensions reform is another controversial issue set to take up more parliamentary hours.

With a raft of bills still outstanding and little time to pass them, ministers may need to make concessions in order to get them onto the statute book.

Clarke loses out

The Home Office looks set to be one of the biggest losers, with a series of controversial policies in doubt.

Home secretary Charles Clarke could also lose legislation intended to outlaw incitement on grounds of religious hatred contained in Serious Organised Crime and Policing Bill.

And the flagship Identity Cards Bill also has a large question mark over its future.

Interviewed on BBC Radio 4's PM programme, Conservative leader in the upper house Lord Strathclyde singled out the ID cards plan as a particular concern.

"It is not coming into force for some years, so I think it could afford a delay of a few weeks," he said.

"It has been rushed through the House of Commons and guillotined. It has only had a few hours debate in the House of Lords, we haven't started any of the serious stages.

"So I think it would be... a likely casualty of the prime minister calling the general election early."