A total ban on the use of electric shock collars for pets will not be introduced, Michael Gove has indicated, after fears the policy would lead to more cats dying on roads.

In response to a question in the Commons on Thursday, the Environment Secretary suggested the ban would only apply to those that are used to train animals into good behaviour, and not to devices designed to prevent pets straying into dangerous territory.

Electronic collars allow shocks to be applied to cats and dogs by their owners. Containment collars work alongside underground 'fences', which can be installed along the edge of a property to prevent a cat wandering out into the road and being run over. The collars beep at a cat when they approach a cable buried in the ground, and if the cat continues it is given a shock.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs launched a consultation on a proposal to ban electronic training collars last month.

Mr Gove's support for the measure is said to have caused friction at the Cabinet table, with reports that transport secretary Chris Grayling uses the containment fence system to protect his cats.