THE Government, this week, promised to stop leaking policy announcements to the Press.

Now, Peter Luff has long grumbled about the practice of hacks rather than MPs getting the big stories first.

In recent weeks, he complained to the Speaker about the fact journalists were the first to know the ban on hunting had been lifted less than 24 hours after he had been officially told no announcement was imminent.

The Speaker duly agreed and issued ministers with a slap on the wrist.

The Government has now accepted a recommendation from the public administration select committee that ministers should tell Parliament first.

And Ministers have been told to change their ways with immediate effect but Peter remains sceptical.

He said: It is totally right and proper that Parliament should come first but I'm not holding my breath.

It seems he has good grounds for this lack of optimism. The news that the Government was to stop leaking stories was inevitably leaked to Radio Four's Today programme.