Bradford Council has been urged to ban rogue builders.

The building workers union UCATT has written to the council asking it not to give building contracts to companies which cannot guarantee that they and their sub-contractors do not break the law.

George Brumwell, general secretary for the union, said: "All over Britain sub-contractors are encouraging or forcing workers to pretend to be self employed, or to claim dole money while they are working.

"Bogus self-employment means the sub-contractors escape paying employers' national insurance, sick pay, holiday pay and pensions.

"Workers encouraged or forced to claim dole money can be paid a lower wage.

"It is a nationwide racket, a massive problem in Britain, and we are determined to make the construction industry clean up its act.

"We have had a breakthrough in Scotland. The Scottish Parliament has ruled that it will give no further contracts to companies who do not ensure their sub-contractors are not breaking the law through bogus self-employment or cheating the dole.

"UCATT now has teams across Scotland checking out sub-contractors. Those found to be breaking the law to save cash will be reported to the Scottish Parliament and the building companies employing them will lose contracts.

"Now we want the same thing to happen right across this region. If any local authority refuses to act with us to clean up the industry we shall take up their refusal with ministers.

"More than 40 per cent of all building work in Britain is put out to contract by local councils and by central government departments.

"So local authorities have a big role to play. Bogus self employment and dole cheating is such a huge problem. A recent survey we commissioned estimates that taxpayers lose out from bogus self employment alone to the tune of £2 billion a year.

"Think what Gordon Brown could do with that extra money - build ten new hospitals every year or cut income tax by two pence in the pound."