The Bill, brought by Labour MP Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston), was backed by 147 votes to 11 and was welcomed by unions.

Unite the Union joint general secretary Tony Woodley said: "The message today sent by Labour MPs to their government could not be any clearer. Nothing less than primary legislation, delivered now, can quell the clamour that has come from MPs, the Labour Party's ruling body and from the wider labour movement.

The Bill now passes to a committee for further scrutiny from MPs after which a report will be produced prior to a possible third reading – the final hurdle before it becomes law.

Industry body BPIF has claimed the proposed bill would have little impact on UK print because of the high standard of the existing national agreement on the issue.

BPIF corporate affairs director Andrew Brown told printweek.com: "It's way ahead of other national agreements in other industries in the UK and printing industries worldwide."

Brown said that the print industry is so far advanced on the issue because of the recognised need for temporary workers in a market where production is cyclical.

"Print companies do have short-term production issues. And when they want temporary workers, they need them pretty fast, so they don't want to be caught up in labour relations," he said.

But other industry bodies, including the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) have lobbied to block the legislation, claiming a translation into British law would put a quarter of a million jobs at risk.

CBI deputy director general John Cridland said he was disappointed with the result.

"If successful, this bill would harm the economy and put jobs at risk, but we are confident that its deficiencies will be exposed at committee stage.

"Temps already have extensive rights covering minimum wage, working time, paid holiday, and health and safety. Enforcement of those existing rules, rather than the creation of new ones, is the best way to protect a small minority of exploited workers."

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