Conservatives have warned that the Government is preparing to give the go ahead to the destruction of the 'Green Belt' after Hazel Blears refused to offer any firm assurances that the special protection afforded to designated rural areas will not be scrapped.

Shadow Agriculture Minister, Jim Paice commenting on the news that DEFRA is considering plans to switch 90 per cent of consumers onto UHT milk by 2020, to cut down on refrigeration in stores, said: