An MP has cautioned the Government against watering down rules which help fight elm disease.

Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper has written to the environment secretary, Margaret Beckett, urging her to reject any proposal by the Forestry Commission to repeal existing laws.

Yesterday, The Argus reported that Brighton and Hove City Council is planning to lure the elm bark beetle, which spreads the disease, into traps using a fake beetle scent.

The pheromone, developed by scientists at Sussex University in the Eighties, has not been used for 20 years. But tree officers at Brighton and Hove City Council are so concerned about the risks of a new elm disease epidemic, they have ordered a fresh batch of the scent along with several traps, which they hope residents will install in their gardens.

Officers have received nearly 380 reports of elm infections in the past few weeks and fear unless action is taken swiftly, the city's 17,000-strong elm collection could be at risk.

Mr Lepper said the city council could be proud of the way it, and the two separate councils it replaced in 1997, contained the disease in the Eighties.

He said: "What was achieved in Brighton and Hove is recognised internationally and the city is now the custodian of the National Elm Collection."

But the Labour MP said the city had to remain vigilant about the disease.

He said: "One of the tools local arboricultural officers can use is the Dutch Elm Disease Local Authorities Order 1984, amended in 1988, which allows them to deal with infected trees on private land.

"Now the Forestry Commission is suggesting to the Government that this bit of legislation could be repealed.

"I believe this would be a real mistake and weaken the powers of councils like ours to protect an important part of our natural environmental heritage."