MINISTERS pledged action against cowboy builders who rip off elderly people, as a Tory MP launched a bid to make such cold-calling a criminal offence.

Andrew Robathan told the Commons that vulnerable people were being conned into paying out at least £32m a year on unnecessary house and drive repairs.

He was introducing a Bill aimed at putting an end to such "ruthless exploitation" by threatening rogue traders with up to three months in jail.

Such a ban on arriving unannounced on the doorstep and offering such work has been called for by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Although Mr Robathan's Bill stands little chance of becoming law, Consumer Minister Gerry Sutcliffe told him the Government was committed to action.

He said: "The spirit of the Bill is something that we want to try to achieve.

"I genuinely believe that we do need to look at all of these things."

The comments are a boost to The Northern Echo's Doorstoppers Campaign, which calls for legislation making it difficult for such criminals to operate.

After the debate, a Department of Trade and Industry spokesman said: ''The Government regard this as a serious problem and are prepared to consider all the options for strengthening consumer protection.

"The OFT are currently carrying out an investigation into the whole doorstep selling market, and any new legislation will be considered in the context of the OFT's recommendations."

A group of ministers will also meet to discuss cold-calling.