Credit and debit card firms will find it easier to cancel the cards of online paedophiles under a planned new law.

Cancellation will be on the grounds that using cards to purchase child pornography breaches the issuers terms and conditions.

The move has long been urged by charities and card issuers.

The amendment to the Data Protection Act was discussed in the House of Lords on Tuesday and has the support of the government.

Information sharing

As the Data Protection Act currently stands, card issuers do not know when their cards are used to access child pornography.

The amendment will allow card issuers to receive information on card usage from the police.

The issuers said this will free them to terminate the contract with the cardholder and cancel the cards.

"No card provider wants to be associated with those who commit these crimes," said Paul Marsh, director of cards and fraud control at the Association of Payment Clearing Services (Apacs).

"With this change in the law our members will have the information they need to remove offenders cards. They will not be able to use the same cards to offend again."