Anti-war demonstrators who gather opposite the houses of parliament are facing action to silence their protests.

Speaking in the Commons, Peter Hain pledged that "action will now follow" once the government has concluded its consultations on how to deal with the protestors.

There have been complaints from MPs that loud anti-war protests can be heard in their offices.

But previous attempts by Westminster council to remove placards and banners from the pavement opposite parliament have been blocked by the courts.

Conservative backbencher Julian Lewis said on Thursday that it had been four months since he first raised the matter in the Commons.

He said the volume of noise from demonstrations in Parliament Square "continues unabated" despite previous pledges of action.

"It is not relevant that there was a court case which allowed the protests to continue. That was not a matter to do with the volume of noise," he said.

"We have to consider that the police who have the duty of being in the front line of any sort of attack that might be made on this house from outside are being constantly distracted and disturbed by this incessant noise.

"The police says it is a matter for the council, the council says it is a matter for the police.  Why cannot the police cross the road and remove the amplification equipment once and for all?"

Peter Hain said he knew speaker Michael Martin felt "equally strongly about this matter and [has] told me so in no uncertain terms".

"We are very anxious to deal with this matter as a government," the Commons leader added.

He said "action will now follow after consultation with the home secretary and the police in order to sort this situation out".