PETER Luff has got himself a powerful friend in the long-running struggle to force Ministers to make announcements to Parliament first rather than the Press.

Convention states that MPs should be the first to know about any change of policy or major decision.

But, according to Mr Luff, it is often journalists who come top of the list when announcements are being made.

Last week, he was left fuming when Ministers held a Press conference to give the green light for the resumption of hunting in Worcestershire.

It took place just over 12 hours after they had told Mr Luff in a written Parliamentary answer that no announcement was planned.

He complained to the Speaker, Michael Martin, and raised a point of order.

The Speaker, Mr Luff was pleased to learn, agreed entirely and gave Ministers a slap on the wrist.

In a statement, one of the Speaker's deputies said: As Mr Speaker has told the House before, he deprecates the making of announcements of new policy to the media before the House has had an opportunity to be informed.

In addition, in this case Mr Speaker has asked me to say that he deplores the fact that Ministers did not take the opportunity when replying to written questions on the subject yesterday to indicate that an announcement was to be made.