The White House yesterday defended its slow disclosure of the shooting incident involving Dick Cheney, vice-president, at the weekend when he shot and injured a 78-year-old man in a hunting accident in Texas.

Although the incident took place on Saturday afternoon, and it was considered serious enough for President George W. Bush to be in-formed that night and up-dated throughout Sunday, it took nearly 24 hours before details were released by Katherine Armstrong, the owner of the Texas ranch, rather than the vice-president's office.