The Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers, a UK investment body, has called for the Government to act after a spate of complaints about unauthorised and illegal stockbroking operations known as "boiler rooms".

In a debate in the House of Commons today, the association will call for the European Commission to increase coordinated action between UK and other national regulators to put a halt to boiler rooms, which use illegal methods to persuade people to invest in high-risk shares. Boiler room employees typically push overpriced shares that are restricted for onward sale and have little or no realisable value.