The Government has pledged to "look sympathetically" at introducing new laws to prevent parents flying their daughters to the Asian sub-continent and forcing them to marry.

Home Office minister Paul Goggins made his promise last night after Keighley MP Ann Cryer demanded a new offence of aiding and abetting a forced marriage, or coercing a forced marriage.

Last week, the T&A revealed how Mrs Cryer's constituency office was dealing with one such case a week.

In the House of Commons last night the Labour backbencher said there had been a "sea-change" in attitudes to the once taboo subject.

She said: "Why in the 21st century are we prepared for the rights and lives of young people to be abused in such horrific ways?

"How can we possibly sit back and allow the rights of women to be ignored, with young British girls being relegated to the category of an item for sale or a convenience which can be used as a means to overcome immigration legislation?"

Mrs Cryer said this would send out a "clear and decisive message" that forced marriage was un-Islamic and illegal.

She highlighted the case of a 14-year-old Keighley girl who was flown to Bangladesh to marry.

Mrs Cryer believes the threat of prison would deter parents from threatening girls as young as 12 to travel thousands of miles to become brides.

She urged ministers to introduce an amendment to the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Bill, currently passing through the House of Commons.

She acted because of the increasing number of Asian teenage girls seeking her help to flee the harrowing prospect of a forced marriage.

Action to prevent forced marriage currently has to be brought about through laws on false imprisonment, threatening behaviour, harassment or assault.

The T&A recently revealed claims that up to 300 Asian girls a year are removed from Bradford schools and flown to Pakistan for forced marriages.

Families can receive sums of £10,000 for their daughter's hand, it is understood.

Following the marriage - usually without consent - the girls return to Britain to support their new husband's visa application.

Mrs Cryer said only a minority of families clung to the ancient custom of forcing daughters to marry a man - usually a first cousin - selected by parents and grandparents.

She said it was vital to recognise the difference between the healthy tradition of arranged marriage, where the couple genuinely give their consent, and forced marriage.