Lord Archer spent his leave day with his wife Lady Archer

On Sunday, Archer was enjoying one of his final pre-arranged leave days from Hollesley Bay open prison at Woodbridge, Suffolk, before being released on parole on 21 July.

The former Conservative Party deputy chairman drove Lady Archer through the gates of their home at The Old Vicarage, Grantchester, near Cambridge, after leaving the prison for the day.

Archer was dressed in prison garb of striped shirt, blue sweatshirt and blue jeans with turn-ups.

His wife wore a black top and white slacks.

Archer is due to be released from Hollesley Bay in July

Neither spoke to journalists as they arrived.

Archer is waiting to discover whether he will keep the right to sit in the House of Lords after calls for rules changes relating to convicted criminals.

Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk Norman Lamb wants to prevent Archer from returning to the Lords, saying it would be "utterly inappropriate".

Under current rules, MPs jailed for more than 12 months automatically forfeit their seats in the Commons, but there is no such sanction for peers.

Call for action

Earlier this week constitutional affairs minister Christopher Leslie said the government intended to bring the two Houses in line "in due course" as part of its reform of the Lords.

"Lord Archer's impending release from jail highlights the need for the government to act urgently to bring the Lords into line with the Commons," said Mr Lamb.

"It is utterly inappropriate for any convicted criminal who is jailed for more than 12 months to sit in either house. What sort of message does this send out to the public about the probity of Parliament?

"The government recognises that there is a discrepancy between the Commons and the Lords, yet has done nothing to correct it. This is an extremely complacent attitude to adopt."