Senior cabinet ministers have given mixed messages on the government's commitment to holding a vote on banning hunting in England and Wales.

Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Robin Cook declined to give a timetable for honouring the commitment in the Queen's Speech to allow a free vote during the course of the current session of parliament.

"I know of no reason why that commitment will not be fulfilled. There are other commitments in the Queen's Speech that have not yet been fulfilled because we are only halfway through the session," said Cook.

"A number of bills in the Queen's Speech have still to be brought before the House; they mostly will be brought before the House, and I am sure that there will be a free vote on hunting."

He had been pressed on the issue by Labour backbencher Gerald Kaufman, who said there had already been ample time to debate the issue.

"Many Labour members are fed up with the government's procrastination and their failure to fulfil both a manifesto pledge and a commitment in the Queen's Speech," he warned.

The Scottish parliament vote has increased the pressure on the government to allow Westminster a similar vote whilst also creating more uncertainty about the legality and practicality of any ban

It is thought that ministers will examine any legal challenges to Scottish legislation before deciding whether to proceed with a ban in England and Wales.

While the Scottish Countryside Alliance says the bill breaches human rights, legal experts suggest that bad draughting could make prosecutions of those who continue to hunt difficult.

Doubts have also been expressed over how effectively the bill will halt cruelty to animals being killed.

However, John Prescott has let it be known that the Scots ban makes it more likely that the government will give MPs a vote.

He told backbenchers that reintroducing the bill was "an issue of credibility".

Labour Party chairman Charles Clarke is reported to have declared the Scottish vote to be irrelevant.

If the government brings back the anti-hunt bill that fell because of last year's general election, the Parliament Act can be invoked to overcome the fierce opposition in the Lords.

But if ministers cite the Scottish experience as evidence of the need for changes to the Westminster bill, the process of trying to pass the bill will have to begin all over again.