Mr Blair is due to make a statement on the Euro summit in Tampere, which agreed greater co-operation among member states on tackling organised crime and illegal immigration.

Mr Hague is expected to use the occasion to attack the government's European policies.

BBC Political Correspondent, John Kampfner looks ahead

It will be the first head-to-head confrontation between the two party leaders since the Tories toughened their Eurosceptic stance and the prime minister launched the cross-party pro-single currency Britain in Europe campaign last week.

Mr Blair's statement is expected to stress the importance of agreements to tackle cross-border crime, increase co-operation between different legal systems and adopt common standards to prevent asylum seekers applying for entry in more than one EU member state.

Bill Tynan: Elected last month

But Mr Hague will attack what he sees as moves towards a common judicial system agreed at the summit, claiming Labour is signing up to an ever more centralised and integrated Europe.

The debate marks the start of a busy four-week period, with Labour seeking to push through several key pieces of legislation, including reform of the House of Lords, before the end of the parliamentary session.

Returning MPs will also welcome two new members to the House. Labour's Bill Tynan and Neil Turner were both elected in by-elections held on 23 September to represent Hamilton South and Wigan, respectively.

Lords reform yet to pass

The new parliamentary session kicks off on 17 November with the Queen's Speech setting out the government's legislative programme for the year ahead.

Lords are still debating several bills

The 1998-99 session saw the introduction of 31 government bills. There are eight bills still going through their final stages in the "spillover" period between MPs and peers returning to Westminster following the summer break and next month's state opening of Parliament.

Among the bills which have to complete their passage is the House of Lords Bill which abolishes the right of hereditary peers to sit and vote in the upper House.

The bill will exclude all but 92 hereditaries from the Lords.

In the first week peers returned from their summer recess, government bills suffered eight defeats on various amendments to proposed legislation. On one night of voting alone peers voted against the government six times.