Senior government officials are secretly planning to kill off home information packs. Sunday Telegraph

The only part of the crisis-ridden scheme expected to survive the cull is the energy performance certificate.

A senior government source said: ‘The most likely outcome is that the only part of HIPs that will remain will be the EPC.’

The certificates will, in any case, become mandatory under European Union law in 2009.

Since the government U-turn on the packs last week, officials claim the Department of Communities and Local Government has descended into 'panic' with supporters of Ruth Kelly and Yvette Cooper, the housing minister, briefing against each other.

Kelly is unlikely to remain in her post after Tony Blair leaves office at the end of next month. Government insiders maintain, however, that Cooper is likely to win promotion to Gordon Brown’s Cabinet.