More than two million people a year become carers

Carers who harm or neglect vulnerable adults will be put on a list and face criminal charges if they seek further employment in the care sector.

The government crackdown emerged as MPs on the Commons health select committee began an inquiry into "elder abuse'.

Witnesses are expected to say that the extent of the problem is "staggering".

No hiding place?

From June 2004, the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list (POVA) will enforce a ban on staff who have let down disabled or elderly adults.

Mr Ladyman said it would mean there was "no hiding place" for carers who abused or mistreated their charges.

"We want to ensure that vulnerable adults and their families can be confident they are receiving the best and safest levels of care possible," he said.

"Implementation of the POVA list will send a clear message to providers of care and care professionals that the government deplores those who abuse vulnerable adults in their care," he said.

The health committee has already been told that vulnerable adults can be the victims of abuse and neglect by people other than employed carers.

Spending the inheritance

The chief executive of the charity Action on Elder Abuse, Gary FitzGerald, said sometimes family greed led to neglect and resentment.

"The sons and daughters may think 'They are spending my inheritance. I must stop it'," he told MPs.

Health Committee chairman David Hinchliffe said it was "staggering" that around 500,000 people over-65 were the subject of abuse at any one time.

"That's like a city the size of Leeds being abused," he said.

The committee also heard from other witnesses that while abuse could mean physical violence it could result from bad practice or neglect.

Poor training?

Jenny Potter, of the Community and District Nursing Association (CDNA), said one of the main causes of elder abuse was "lack of training and staff shortages".

The system of direct payments, where the government gives money so people can commission their own care, was flagged up as a potential area of difficulty.

"We are going to have a lot of problems with this," said Ms Potter.

"These are people who have been employed by agencies for care in their home and we have evidence that abuse has started to happen on a huge scale, particularly financial abuse."

Checks against the POVA list will operate through the Criminal Records Bureau, adding to the checks already carried out by employers.