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The departments of culture and business have brokered a deal between the six largest ISPs and the entertainment industries that will see letters sent to the homes of alleged persistent file sharers. The aim is to warn parents about their children's downloading activities, according to a Guardian <

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report which says that the agreement will be formally announced later today.

BT, Virgin Media, Orange, Tiscali, BSkyB and Carphone Warehouse have agreed to send the letters to file sharers identified by the music and movie industries' online detectives.

Absent from the agreement is any undertaking to impose penalties on sharers. ISPs are not keen on the "three strikes and you're out" approach adopted in France and advocated by the UK music industry - alleged sharers would face disconnection following a third warning.

Instead the ISPs and entertainment industries are to agree on a code of practice detailing what action will be taken. Proposals include implementing limits on broadband use and introducing a legal, paid-for file sharing service.

The business minister, Baroness Vadera, will then draft a bill that will make the necessary changes to UK law.