The leader of the Commons has defended John Prescott's plan to give more land to Traveller communities.

Speaking at a session of business questions on Thursday, Peter Hain said the deputy prime minister is making sure there are "proper controls" on Gypsy camps.

The row erupted this week after Prescott's department issued new guidelines to councils calling for local authorities to provide dedicated sites for travellers.

They were coupled with new powers for the police to move unauthorised settlers on, stop illegal sites being built and issue anti-social behaviour orders against those causing a nuisance.

But Conservative MPs complained they were politically motivated against Tory town halls.

The shadow leader of the Commons said the guidelines were in conflict with the government's own legislation.

The latest move makes it "even more difficult for councils to uphold planning law", Oliver Heald said.

However Hain replied that Prescott was clearing up an inherited mess.

"The truth is that under the last Conservative government the ability to control the situation lapsed," the Cabinet minister said.

"The deputy prime minister is seeking to make sure there are proper controls."

But Tory MP Eric Pickles, who is also his party's local government spokesman, said Prescott was picking on his political opponents.

He asked why the council in his Brentwood constituency "has been asked to provide an unauthorised Traveller site when it only has a handful" of Traveller families.

He contrasted this with the constituencies of "neighbouring Labour MPs" where councils have not been issued with orders despite having "literally hundreds" of Gypsies in their areas.

Hain insisted this was not the case. "The issue here is does government allow sites to develop in a haphazard, out of control way, or do you have proper controls?" he said.