Fly tippers could face their cars and vans being crushed under a crackdown proposed by Rochdale MP Paul Waugh.

Environment minister Mary Creagh said she would consider the idea as part of new laws to tackle the scourge of rubbish being dumped illegally in towns and cities across the country.

Mr Waugh told the House of Commons how Rochdale council has removed 6,500 fly-tips this past year alone, the equivalent of 50 tonnes of illegally dumped waste every month, at a cost of £400,000 to local taxpayers.

But he told the minister that the council complains of a real failure in the courts issuing consistent and tough enough fines.

“Does the Minister agree with me that it is time to crack down harder on fly-tippers, put much tighter regulations on waste carriers and treat the fly-tippers like the criminals they are, by crushing their cars and putting points on their licences?” Mr Waugh asked.

Minister Creagh replied by praising Rochdale Council and hinting the Government was ready to tighten the law significantly.

“I could not agree more with my hon. Friend,” she said.

“I hear enthusiasm for his comments from both sides of the House. Rochdale council has an exemplary record on fly-tipping, with 26 fixed-penalty notices and 12 prosecutions, which is admirable.

“ Last week, the Environment Agency worked with the north-west regional organised crime unit to arrest two men in Manchester for fraud and money laundering, following an extensive investigation into packaging export notes used by law-abiding firms to export waste that were unlawfully sold for £747,000. Our message to the waste criminals is clear: we are seeking powers in the Crime and Policing Bill, and we are going to track them down.”

Earlier in the debate, Ms Creagh laughed off calls by veteran Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne to “garrot” or strangle fly tippers “with their own intestines”.

“I think there would be some human rights implications with the garrotting option, but I share the right hon. Gentleman’s passionate hatred for these environmental criminals.

I am very happy to join forces with him and make it a cross-party mission that we sort the messes out once and for all.”