They are public enemy number one as far as many music fans are concerned: the individuals and firms who buy up gig tickets in bulk and then flog them on websites such as eBay at vastly inflated prices.

Arctic Monkeys and Morrissey are just two acts whose recent tours have been targeted by touts, leaving many genuine fans empty-handed in the rush, and then facing the choice between paying through the nose or not going to the gig.

But ticket touts could soon become an endangered species after the government this week announced a crackdown.

On Monday, culture secretary Tessa Jowell hosted the third in a series of "ticket tout summits" in response to growing concern about the behaviour of online agencies such as the now-defunct Getmetickets.net, and the use of internet auction sites to sell overpriced and fake tickets. Concert promoters and representatives of the major venues and ticket agencies attended, and an action plan was hammered out which includes:

- An industry agreement to introduce a returns policy for all concerts so fans can obtain refunds from the point of purchase if they are unable to attend an event. This looks set to go live in September.

- A website to be set up by the Concert Promoters Association where people will be able to exchange tickets at face value.

- Plans for a "kitemark" for ticket sales websites.

- A pledge to continue working on a code of practice for all firms selling tickets.

It is an issue that arouses strong emotions among music fans - and the acts themselves. Alex Kapranos, lead singer of Franz Ferdinand, recently encouraged gig-goers to "smack a tout in the face. Then they'll stop doing it."

For many, the real villain of the piece is eBay. Many music fans will be all too aware that if an event sells out in a flash, you only need wait a few minutes and the site will be flooded with people selling tickets at high prices.

When tickets for next year's T in the Park festival in Scotland went on sale on July 11, the entire advance allocation of 35,000 was snapped up in just over an hour. Within five minutes of going on sale, they were on offer on eBay for up to five times face value. More>>>

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