Ecommerce minister Mike O'Brien is considering ordering internet service providers to disclose the source of rogue emails in the battle to limit the mounting damage caused by spam.

In his first major pronouncement since taking over from Stephen Timms in the last Government reshuffle, O'Brien says the government is considering whether to give the Information Commissioner power to act against ISPs that fail to adhere to spam rules and standards.

O'Brien made it clear that decisions have not yet been taken, but said it is possible that something similar to the 'stop now' orders that can be made under existing legislation against rogue traders could be implemented.

Speaking briefly at a Computing for Labour fringe meeting at the party's Brighton Conference, the former lawyer said he preferred to proceed via co-operation and self regulation, but observed: 'The law has a limited role, but it is nonetheless there.'

He said there were areas where the law could be effective but raised the issue of whether it would be possible to expand EU directives to cover bulk emailing by business.

'I know people feel very strongly about it,' he said.

O'Brien said the problem of spam - now making up 67 per cent of all email - requires a multi-pronged approach, including enhanced international co-operation through the OECD, and pointed to the DTI's working group on the issue and the spam agreement between the UK, Australia and the US, which he described as 'a useful first step'.

'The Government is anxious to work with the industry and users and representative groups and see if we can find a way to address these issues,' he said.