You can't go home just yet, Fed MPs told

MPs won't be able to jet off on their mid-winter break as soon as they'd expected.

Both houses of parliament will sit on Friday to clear a backlog of government bills after sitting hours were extended late into Thursday.

MPs have been told they won't be able to leave Canberra as they wait for the Senate to send amended bills back to the lower house for approval.

One bill allowing greater foreign ownership of Qantas is unlikely be considered by the Senate until Friday.

"Which means we won't be leaving first thing tomorrow as I hoped," house leader Christopher Pyne told MPs on Thursday.

The lower house will also consider an amended bill that creates an asset recycling fund providing commonwealth financial support for state infrastructure projects funded by the privatisation of public assets.

Amendments are also expected on a bill repealing the mining tax.

While MPs can expect to leave Canberra by 1pm Friday, the Senate might sit into the weekend.