Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman is expected to outline her policy priorities later today amid claims that a promised Commons vote to repeal the Hunting Act has been "kicked into the long grass".

The Conservatives had pledged in their manifesto to introduce a free vote on repealing the ban, which came into force in February 2005, despite widespread opposition in the countryside.

Prime Minister David Cameron has called for the ban to be lifted describing it as "a mistake" because of the problems with enforcement.

After negotiations with the Liberal Democrats, who have previously opposed the move, it's believed that a preliminary motion on whether to hold the free vote is now the compromise way forward.

Observers believe that without an overall Conservative majority, the first parliamentary motion could fail, thereby ruling out any chance of a free vote and "kicking the issue into the long grass" for the next five years.

Individual MPs would then be able to argue that they had only voted against the motion, rather than the more controversial issue of repealing the Act, citing more pressing Government business.

The exact details are expected to be announced by Mrs Spelman today.

The Countryside Alliance, though, said there was "no suggestion" that the promise of a free vote on repealing the Hunting Act was being dropped

"It is still very early days," South West regional director Alison Hawes said.

"It was in the Conservative Party manifesto that there would be a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act, although it was never said when that would be.

"We are only a few weeks into the new Government and it is far too soon to be speculating if, when or how it is likely to come about.

"The Government, quite rightly, has 101 things on its agenda that are far more important than hunting and most people in this country want to see the Government tackle those issues and we support them in doing that.

"As to a change in policy towards hunting, there have been no suggestions at all on that. We are where we expected to be.

"Even if there had been a Tory majority we would not have expected it to be, two weeks into a new Government, top of their priorities. It would be wrong if it had."

But a spokesman for the League Against Cruel Sports claimed the move for a preliminary vote would allow the Government to "park" the issue. He said: "The Conservatives seem to have gone back to the position they were in 18 months before their manifesto was published, to have a vote on whether, or not, to introduce legislation. Looking at the figures as they stand, we imagine that motion will not get through."

Political divisions over the issues were as clear as ever yesterday with Exeter Labour MP Ben Bradshaw vowing to fight "tooth and nail" against any move to ditch the foxhunting ban.