Tony Blair is set to begin meeting the press on a monthly basis for an open questions session.

The prime minister's official spokesman announced on Thursday that once a month he will take questions "on the record" after cabinet meetings.

"We said that earlier this year that the prime minister would be holding, as part of the attempt for more direct contact with the prime minister and the press and parliament, a series of regular press conferences," said the official spokesman. "The first of these is likely to begin next week."

The announcement came as a surprise following Charles Clarke's attack on the media's "pious and hypocritical" coverage.

Blair will use the "off-camera" press briefings to take questions and brief journalists on the issues raised in cabinet.

"The suggestion to hold it after cabinet was made in terms of substance. It just strikes us as the right time to do it," said the spokesman.