THERE is “no real evidence” that introducing managed red-light zones in Britain would improve safety for prostitutes, the Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted yesterday.

THERE is “no real evidence” that introducing managed red-light zones in Britain would improve safety for prostitutes, the Prime Minister's official spokesman insisted yesterday.

The murders in Suffolk have brought the danger sex workers face on the streets into sharp focus, and sparked renewed calls for moves to protect them.

But Tony Blair's spokesman said the Government had looked into the idea - which has been tried in cities such as Amsterdam - and rejected it.

“There's no real evidence that we can find that formal managed areas can actually deliver in terms of improving the safety of those involved in prostitution.”

He added that allowing up to three prostitutes to work legally in a brothel was under “active consideration”.

That change was first floated by the Home Office in January. Currently only one prostitute can work from a single address without breaking the law.

Mr Blair led Britain's political leaders yesterday in pledging support to Suffolk police in their hunt for the killer of the prostitutes.

The House of Commons listened in sombre silence as Ipswich Labour MP Chris Mole asked the Prime Minister to express sympathy with the families and friends of the murder victims and to express confidence in Suffolk police's handling of the murder hunt.

Mr Blair said the Government supported the police in dealing with the horror of the situation.

“The whole House will want to send its sympathies to the people of Ipswich and the people of the county of Suffolk and particularly to the friends and family of the victims,” he said.

“I assure My Hon. Friend that we will do everything we can to support the police in the difficult and challenging work they do and I have every confidence that they will perform their task well.”

He added: “There may be lessons we have to learn from these terrible events, but those lessons are best learned in a considered and not reflex way.

“Our priority has got to be to find the person responsible and to give our support to the police.”

Conservative leader David Cameron said: “We all want this monster to be caught and locked up.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell pressed the Prime Minister for a “wholesale review” of the law to ensure everything could be done to ensure women's safety.