TONY BLAIR is to steer away from an immediate clash over foxhunting and the Section 28 law on homosexuality when he unveils the Government’s new programme next week.

The issues are two of the most controversial facing ministers. But the repeal of Section 28 has been kept out of John Prescott’s Local Government Bill which will be one of the centrepieces of the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday week.

Instead ministers will make plain on the day that backbenchers will be invited to table an amendment to the Bill as it goes through Parliament. It means that repeal will be threatened for a second time by blocking tactics in the Lords.

Mr Blair will also, as previously promised, herald a Bill on foxhunting. But he will avoid stating the Government’s favoured solution for dealing with a ban. A report drawn up by Alun Michael, the Rural Affairs Minister, has been delayed until after the Queen’s Speech. It is widely expected to propose a ban on foxhunting in all but limited areas. But the government whips accept that anything less than a total ban is unacceptable to Labour MPs. The Bill will be based on Mr Michael’s report but is expected to be amended as it goes through.

Mr Prescott has won an internal Cabinet battle over how to handle Section 28. He wanted its repeal to be kept out of the Bill as it initially comes before Parliament. He feared that if it was in the Bill it could derail his legislation which will pave the way for regional assemblies in England.

If the repeal of Section 28 ran into the ground in the Lords he could lose the whole Bill. Now if the Lords tried to block the Bill the amendment could be dropped. Ministers will make plain, however, that they are determined to repeal Section 28 one way or another.

Mr Blair has promised that the new foxhunting Bill will be forced through under the Parliament Act if the Lords block it. But the precise contents are not yet known. Mr Michael has held lengthy consultations on foxhunting, including hearings at Westminster with expert witnesses. He is widely expected to propose legislation that would have the effect of banning most hunting, except in areas where it remains a more humane way of controlling foxes.

The Bill will outlaw practices which involve “unnecessary suffering”, with hare coursing, staghunting and most foxhunting banned. However, there is a general expectation that Labour MPs would vote to amend the Bill to bring in a complete ban. Mr Blair would be able to claim that he had tried for a compromise but had been overruled by the will of the elected Commons.

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