A Wolverhampton MP has called on the Government to consider making forced marriages a criminal offence.

Emma Reynolds (Wolverhampton North East) said forced marriages are "an appalling human rights abuse" which have "no place in modern society".

Addressing solicitor-general Edward Garnier during Commons questions to the Attorney General, she said: "Can I press him further on the Home Affairs Select Committee report and ask whether the Government will consider legislating to make forced marriages a criminal offence?"

Mr Garnier said the last government had considered it, that both the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Law Officers were now studying the committee's report on forced marriages and that the Government would respond to it "in due course".

He said: "I'm sure the Government will. It will essentially be a matter for the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice to consider. But this was considered by the last administration.

"The Labour government held a consultation via the Home Office in 2005 and announced in 2006 that it did not on balance consider that it would be advantageous to turn forced marriage into a criminal offence.

"The report is now available for us all to consider and the Government will come back to this House with its response."

Labour's Mary Glindon (North Tyneside) said forced marriages were already "chronically under reported" and asked how "25% cuts to the CPS's budget" would enable more not fewer victims of forced marriage to come forward.

Mr Garnier said the "most essential thing" is to encourage people who have been affected to come forward with evidence to help bring a prosecution.

He added: "The CPS works very hard to ensure that women – particularly women in forced marriages, but 17% are men – are properly protected by the law of England, and we will endeavour to make sure that they are."